Sweet Compassion
by EriksMezzoSoprano
Summary: What if Erik and Christine met when they were children? EC
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: Hey! I first, just wanted to say that I don't own anything of the Phantom of the Opera, nor will I ever. This story is going to be base off the Phantom by Susan Kay. I may add some of Meadow's work in here. Hope this fan fiction will make a much better of a hit than my other story. And please, don't forget to review! I just need to know how I'm doing from time to time. I might be a bit late on reviewing, for I'm trying to make another fan fiction dedicated to my friends for Christmas. I won't continue this story until I receive more than 5 reviews.  
Also, I'm making it so that Christine is about the same age as Erik. I just didn't want to replace Christine with another character. Enjoy! AND PLEASE REVIEW!** _

_**Sweet Compassion**_

**Chapter 1**

An eight year old child and her father where walking down the street on a breezy, late September, evening, in Sweden. Her father decided to treat them both to some pastries at the local sweet shop. Her father held her tiny hand in his as they both walked into the shop. The bell above the door tinkled as they opened and closed the door. The child's eyes widened at the aroma that was filled with the sweet of pastries of all kinds. The shelves were packed with every kind of treat she could think of. The father chuckled at her excitement.

She asked her father's permission with her eyes, if she could pick one for herself, for she always shared her treats with her father. The father nodded and said, "Anything for you, Christine on your birthday."

A woman appeared at the counter, just noticing she had customers. She smiled at Christine and stood in front of the register.

"Did I hear correctly that this fine, young lady's birthday is today?" the woman asked politely.

Christine looked up at her shyly and smiled back at her. "Yes." Christine said quietly as her cheeks filled up with color.

"In that case," the woman said, "I will give you one for free."

"May I, Father?" Christine asked.

"Oh, alright." he said. Christine thought it over.

"Does that mean that I get two for myself? One for now and one for later?" she asked. Her father regarded her for a moment. "Please." she said pleadingly while fluffing out her bottom lip. He smiled, for she always got her way when she made that particular face at him.

"Go ahead, my angel." he said softly. 'She already knows how to make men bend over backwards for her.' He mused.

She made a shrill of delight. "Thank you so much, Father!" she said happily. "Hmm... I'll pick...this one," she pointed her small finger at a strawberry-filled pastry, "and this one." She pointed to the pastry filled with chocolate custard.

The woman put them both in a bag. "Happy Birthday, Miss." said the woman while handing the bag to Christine.

Christine's father paid the woman and thanked her.


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: I know this chapter and the last chapter are really short, but they will get bigger if I choose to keep going. Remember to review! . This story will be rated higher and higher as the story starts to unfold. I will change the ratings when I feel it has to be done. Right now it's rated K. By the end of the story I plan for it to reach an M rating.**_

**Chapter 2**

He lead Christine over to a park bench. They both settled themselves next to each other. Christine opened the bag.

"Father, would you please split them in half? I would like a bit of each." he smiled and then nodded to her. "Give me the smaller pieces of each, I want to save them for later."

He cut them in half, doing as Christine asked, by giving her the smaller pieces.

"Thank you, father." she said.

She ate her portion slowly, savoring the sweet treat.

"You know, you have a sweet tooth just like your mother." he said smiling.

"Father? Tell me again. What was mommy like?" Christine asked, for her mother died while giving birth to her.

He looked at her for a while and said, "She looked very much like you do, angel. You have her dark brown, curly hair. She had dark blue eyes unlike you." he said while looking into her brown eyes. "You have her honesty, curiosity, and kindness."

"Was she beautiful?" Christine asked.

"Yes, she was very beautiful. She was as beautiful as you." he said while pushing one of her stray brown, curl away form her face.

**XXX**

They decided to walk around the park before they went home. As Christine was walking, she found a half torn piece of paper float towards her. She picked it up. "Father," she said, "does this say there is a fair in our town?" She handed the paper to her father.

"Yes, it does." he said while reading the paper that read: _"Come to the best traveling fair in the world. Come to eat, play games, and see the-" _the rest of the words where ripped out of the paper. He noticed that the fair was only two blocks from their house. "Tell you what, Christine, why don't we go to this traveling fair? We can play some of the games there."

"Really?" she asked, surprised that she was yet being treated to something else today. He nodded at her. She smiled at him as they walked towards the fair.

_'This is one of my best birthdays.' _thought Christine.

**XXX**

Little did they know, that the last part of the paper read: "_Come see the Living Corpse" _

**XXX**

_**A/N: If you wanted to know, which you will find out in the next chapters, Christine can speak French fluently. **_

_**I would like to dedicate this story to all my friends in school and family who had to put up with my Phantom obsession.**_

_**To Ashley, who put up with my Gerard Butler and Phantom obsession. And I am sorry to admit it, but I'm still jealous that you got to see the play in Broadway. :( Oh, well. I still love you like a sister..**_

_**To Izzy V, who I had (almost) forced you to read the original Phantom of the Opera. Even though we met this August (I think), you already have put up will a lot of my obsessions. I love you like a sister too. And I thank you for introducing me to fan fiction. Without you I would have never posted this story. Love you like a sister.**_

_**To Nicole, who helped me with my first Fan Fiction. Thanks sis.**_

_**To Kim, who shared my disgust for Raoul. Raoul, what a gay ass! Long blond hair that is perfectly straight ... shudder. . I just can't stand it on a boy.**_

_**PS: To all my readers, I just wanted to inform you that I am a pretty shity speller. If someone told me, "If you don't spell this word the right way, you'll die." ...I would already be dead. You see, in my old school, they stopped the spelling tests at grade 3. You can thank them. You're all lucky that I can spell words such as: "dog", "see Jane run", "don't stick that pig in your mouth, it's dirty", etc...**_

_**If you have an older brother that wants to go on the computer (compooper), you know what if feels like to be rushed and beaten to a pulp if you don't get off in time.**_

_**I am so sorry that I messed up the first 2 chapters. I'm going to fix them. Thank you for your time in reading this whole thing. I hope that it never happens again.**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: Alright you convinced me. I will try to make this chapter longer. Fun Fact in my story: Christine's birthday is on September 25. Please review and tell me what you want Erik to look like. Example: Leroux/Kay: as in his whole face deformed or Webber: half his face deformed. Enjoy!**_

**Chapter 3**

Christine could see many tents in the distance with smoke rising from the camp fires. From what Christine could hear, there were many people at the fair today. As Christine and her father neared the tents, her father took out his pocket watch. He mumbled, "fifteen past eight". He closed the pocket watch cover, with a "click". "Okay, Christine." he said while Christine pulled impatiently at his sleeve. She was literally dragging her father to a booth.

"Father, may we try this one?" she asked excitedly.

"I don't see why not." he said happily.

"Come now, I don't have all day for you to pay me, sir." the man at the booth said impolitely. Christine's father eyed the man coldly. Christine didn't seem to notice or even care. Her father paid the man his money. The man took it greedily and started to count the money. When the man was finished making sure the money was the exact amount, he placed four red, tangerine sized balls on the table. Christine took one in her hands.

"The object of this game, is to try and toss the ball into the cans that are blue and not the cans that are yellow." her father said. He took her arm that had the ball in it. "Now, Christine, when I count to three, you release the ball." Christine nodded her head, showing that she understood. "Okay, are you ready?" he asked. Again she nodded her head. Christine's tongue was sticking out of her mouth in complete concentration. "One..." he swung her hand back in forth, gently, every time he said a number. "Two..., three..." Christine let go of the ball at three.

The ball made a satisfying "clunk" in the blue, tin can. Christine looked at her father saying happily, "We did it! We got one in!" Her father smiled at her. "How many balls do we have to get into the blue can to win a prize, Father?"

"Just two more, angel." he said. "We will do the same thing that we tried last time, to get it in. That seems to be working." He took hold of her arm again. "One..., two..., three..." they both said together. The ball dropped into the yellow tin can.

"Oh no" she said with disappointment written all over her face.

"Do not worry, Christine. We still have two more tries. If we lose, it doesn't matter. We didn't walk way empty handed. We both are having fun." he said calmly.

She looked up at him, now with a smile on her face. "You are right, Father, we are having fun."

He took her hand again after she picked up the plastic red ball. They both counted to three. Christine released the ball and it fell into the blue can. "One more, Father." Christine said happily. "Father, I would like to do it on my own, if you don't mind."

"Not at all." he said. "Go ahead"

Christine took the ball into her hands and started to swing her arm back and forth for momentum and a sure aim. She let go of the ball. She watched as the ball was headed towards a yellow can. She gasped. The ball bounced off the rim of the yellow can and onto the rim of a blue can. Christine, her father, and the man running the booth, were all looking at the ball. The ball rolled on the rim of the blue can a few time until it hit the bottom of the can.

Christine let out a sigh of relief as her father pulled her into a warm hug. "I knew you could do it, Christine! I just new it!" he said while laughing. Christine giggled.

The man behind the counter had a look of disappointment, for they were going to get a prize. 'It's been a long time since anyone has ever won this game. I thought for sure they would not win.' the man thought. "Come pick your prize and be off.." he said moodily. He took out a box from under the table and gestured to take one of the items instide.

Christine looked at a bunch of little trinkets. There was a small stuffed bear that looked worn out, with it's button nose hanging on by a thread. Next to it there was a wooden spinning top, that had some of it's purple paint chipped off. She move over the stuffed bear and found a black ribbon. She picked it up and showed it to her father. "I picked this one because now I can wear it to remind me of this day." she said thoughtfully.

"Good choice." he said smiling.

Christine took the black ribbon and used it to tie her, silky brown, hair up. "You look beautiful, Christine." he said. "As always." he added quickly. Christine gave him a big smile and said "Thank you, Father."

**XXX**

Christine and her father walked around the tents, looking at different games. A tall man came up from behind them. "Gustav Daaé, is that you?" Christine's father turned around to look at the man. The man barked a laugh. "It is you, my boy!"

Christine's father smiled at him. "Hello, Benard."

"When are you two going to leave Sweden and come over to France?" Benard asked.

"Next week, in fact." he said. "I think we will stay there permanently."

Christine was quite bored of this conversation. Her mind wandered to what France would be like. She snapped out of her thoughts when she herd people screaming. Christine looked around searching for where it had come from. She saw some women with their children leaving a tent. Their eyes filled with fear. Christine looked up at her father and Benard. They were both talking to each other, deep in conversation. 'They probably didn't hear the screams.' Christine thought. She left her father's side to find out what the commotion was all about. Now everyone was coming out of the tent. She waited for some of the lights in the tent to go out, and for the last people to walk out. She then peeked her head into the tent.

_**A/N: Remember to review. I want to know how you want Erik to look. His whole face deformed or half.**_

_**I would like to say thank you to everyone who reviewed. Every time a good review is sent to me, I smile. It is one of the best feelings. .**_

_**It might be a while till I post up a new chapter. I'm tring to work on another story and finish some school projects. Ugg...school. --**_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 **

Christine covered her mouth with her hand to stifle her gasp. A stout man with black hair and a long curly beard, was beating a boy with a wooden poll. They were both in some sort of cage. Every time the pull struck the boy, Christine flinched. She felt tears running down her face. The man suddenly stopped hitting the boy. The man was panting in exhaustion. The boy gowned in pain. He was nearly unconscious.

"If you have any brains in your fucking head, you will learn not to disobey old Javert." He pointed a fat thumb to his chest.

"I did not receive enough money from your show tonight, you little piece of shit! How am I suppose to feed you? I'm not feeding you until you come up with more money. With a face as ugly as yours, I thought I would be rich!" Javert kicked a dog bowl to the side of the cage. "You son of a bitch, when will you learn?" Javert kicked him in the ribs. The boy moaned in pain as Javert threw something at the boy. The boy quickly took the object that was thrown to him and put it on his head. Javert left the tent in a different diretcion from Christine.

Christine was burning with anger and sadness. 'How can someone do something like that?' she thought as she wiped away the tears on her cheeks. Making sure the coast was clear, she walked into the tent. Gathering her courage, she walked towards the cage. The boy heard her footsteps and turned to look at her.

There before him, stood the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. She was wearing a scarlet dress with a black ribbon in her hair. The dress brought out the color of her eyes and hair. Her eyes were a beautiful shade of chocolate brown. Just by looking at her dark brown hair, he could tell it was curly. Her cheeks were rosy, for she was blushing. 'Why would she be interested in me. Why would a pretty girl want to see an ugly corpse?' he thought.

She was now standing at least two feet away from him. His heart was racing. He felt very venerable.

He was scared inside, but on the outside he didn't show her these feelings. He just stared at her as she stared back at him.

Christine sat next to him on the other side of the cage. She didn't know where to start. 'Tell him you name!' her mind said. "Hello, my name is Christine Daaé."

'She wants to talk to me.' he thought. His pain all over his body seemed to have been switched off all of a sudden.

"I thought you might be hungry, so I'm giving you this." She pulled out a paper bag. She put her arm in the cage with the bag. He sat up. She smiled at him encouragingly. "Go ahead. You can have it."

'Was this a trick?' he silently asked himself. He looked in her eyes that at the bag. He had nothing to loose. He had nothing left in his life. There can only be something that he can gain from this situation.

He cautiously took the bag from her hand. He opened the bag looking inside. He saw two large portions of two different pastries. He looked at her. He was glad for the mask he wore, for tears were streaming down his face. "Thank you." he said evenly.

She gave him a big smile showing her pearly white teeth. She felt more than happy that she could help him. He could feel himself smile for the first time in a long time.

"Do you want to be my friend?" Christine asked innocently.

The boy nodded. He lifted his mask slightly to allow him to eat. He took the pastry and ate it hungrily.

Christine took this time to study him. He was skinny and was tall if he were to come to his full height. He looked like he was around twelve years old. From what she saw of his face was only his eyes, for the rest was covered by a burlap sack. His eyes were the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen. They were a golden yellow. Finally she tore her eyes away from his. The only clothing he was wearing was a mask and tattered black pants. She could see that his skinny body was covered with scars and cuts that were dried up with blood. Her face lost it's color.

"Why-? How can someone-?" she broke off.

He knew what she was trying to say. "Because he can." he said. Changing the subject, he asked, "Did you see me?"

"I see you now." she said.

"No. When exactly did you first see me?" he restated.

"The first time I sawyou waswhen that man was hurting you." she answered.

He breathed a sigh of relief.

He finished the rest of the pastry. He handed her the bag. "What time is it?" he asked.

"Last time I checked it was eight o'clock. It must be fifteen minutes past eight, now." he nodded.

"I must get going. My father will be furious with me because I left his side."

She took the empty bag. The boy grabbed her arm to stop her. "Wait. Will I ever see you again?"

"Yes." she said. "Tomorrow in fact. That is unless my father forbids me to leave my room." she finished smiling.

He nodded. "Come here at nine, when it's dark"

"Why?" she asked frowning slightly.

"Javert will be too drunk to notice you are with me or he will be asleep by then." he said. In truth he didn't want her to see tomorrow's show. He didn't want her to see his face. 'If she did, would she run from me?' he thought.

She walked towards the exit of the tent. She stopped and turned, facing him. "I'll bring you some food tomorrow." she said. She turned around and left.

_**A/N: Sorry it took so long for the new chapter. My schedule is tight these days. I have to pick up my grades and stuff. I might take a break from writing a bit. I've already started the new chapter during times when the teachers aren't looking . and in the hospital with my Babci (grandma). She's sick. :(**_

_**Yes, I'm Polish for those of you who don't know. :P Besides Polish, I'm a lot of other different nationalities. . **_

_**-Jessica-**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**I am amazed at myself right now for fitting this chapter in today. It was so busy today. For all of you out there who were concerned about my grandma, thanks for your concern. She is doing much better. She came home yesterday from the hospital. **_

_**Yuck! I hate hospitals! They smell like death and shit. .  
I thank all of you who have reviewed, I love hearing from you all. It brightens my day when I receive a good review. . And now back to the story. Enjoy! **_

**Chapter 5 **

Christine immediately set out to look for her father. She hoped he was still talking to Benard and didn't noticed had she left him. He was not were she last saw him. She felt her heart start to race. 'Where is he?' she thought frantically. 'Oh God, please help me find him.' she prayed.

"Father!" she yelled. Many people in the crowd looked at her. A man walked up to her. He was poorly dressed with a beard that blearily touched his neck and had some teeth missing . The remanding teeth that he had were yellow and crooked.

"What's wrong little lady? You can't find your father?" he said mockingly. "Did you want him to read you a bed time story because I don't mind at all on filling in for him." His eyes looked at her hungrily. She ignored him.

She ran over to the next tent over. She saw her father. He looked just as frantic as she felt.

"Father!" she called.

He looked at her. "Christine!" He rushed over to her relieved. He bent down and hugged her close to him."

"Why did you wonder off alone? I know you know better than that Christine." he said angrily.

"I-." she said. But her father cut her off.

"We are going home." he said annoyed.

They walked home the rest of the way without a word.

When they arrived home, he quickly told her to get changed and go to bed. He also told her she was to remain in her room for the remainder of the day tomorrow.

She obeyed and went to her room. After she changed she climbed into her soft bed. She dared not ask him for a bedtime story, like she did every night before she went to bed.

Right before she fell asleep, she thought of the boy at the fair. She thought out what she was going to do the next day. She had to see him tomorrow, for the fair would be leaving the day after tomorrow. 'I told him that I would try my hardest to see him tomorrow, and that is just what I'll do, by any means necessary.' she thought.

**XXX **

Christine woke the next morning, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

She dress and make her way downstairs for breakfast. "Where do you think you are going, Christine?" her father said in a strict tone.

"I'm coming down for breakfast, of course." she said.

"Oh no, you are going to stay in your room for the rest of the day." he said. She frowned at him.

"But, Father, I'm very hungry." she complained.

"I will bring your food upstairs." he said angrily.

Christine started to cry. 'Father never raised his voice at me before.'

"Christine" he siad in a softer tone. "You can not get away with everything. It is time you've learned your lesson. Now go upstairs and get dressed." he said.

Christine went upstairs tearfully. When she got to her room, she ran to her bed and sobbed into her pillow.

She heard the door creek open. She looked up and saw her father. He brought a tray in with her breakfast on it.

There was crispy bacon, sweet sausages, and tender ham. Her mouth began to water.

He left the room without a word. He felt guilty for doing this to her.

When he left the room, she sat up and walked over to her tray of food, she took the white cloth form her tray and took two of each meat and tied the cloth up for the boy. She then ate her half.

She quickly got dressed into a dark blue dress and tied the black ribbon in her hair, after she ate her breakfast. When she finished she picked up a book called "Irish Fairy Tails." She sat down on her bed, looking at the pictures.

She tried to amuse herself while waiting for nine o'clock. Lunch had passed as well as dinner. She ate all her lunch and dinner, except for her desert. She cut it in half like she did the day before, always giving him the bigger half.

She looked at the clock and it was quarter to nine. She thought she best get going if she wanted to be there by nine. She took her utensils and there white cloth full of food.

She put her hand on the door nob and turned the handle. Her heart sunk for it was locked. She looked at the window. 'There isn't much of a drop.' she thought. She opened the window and held the cloth in her mouth as she reached for the branch of the tree, that was right next to the house. She safely made it onto the branch. The window was still left open. She carefully climbed down the tree. Finally she reached the soft earth. She took the cloth out of her mouth and set out for the fair.

_**I'm sorry I made Christine's father like that, but I thought he needed to show more authority over Christine. Her father is trying to act like a father should with rules. Please R&R. **_

_**-Jessica-**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**I might take a short break after this chapter. I'm starting to get a brain fart with this story right now. I want to put a lot of things in this story, but some of my ideas would clash with my other ideas so that they wouldn't make sense (time wise). I never thought that it would be this hard in working out Christine's and Erik's ages into the story. Like Erik still has to build his home in the Opera house. Stuff like that. I'm also trying to fit in Nadir. He might not be in it. I don't know. We shall see. If anything, I'll have to squeeze him in... somehow.  
Also, I wanted to say that I am a review whore. Who isn't? I think most writers like to hear that their work is liked. For those of you who don't know what a review whore is, it's a person who loves reviews, practically lives off them. Just wanted to save some of you some time, from writing me saying that I'm a review whore.  
Oh, and thank you all who reviewed. I love hearing from you. .  
Any who... on with the story. :P **_

**Chapter 6 **

Christine was frightened while walking to the fair all by herself. She was always afraid of the dark for as long as she could remember. 'Oh God,' she prayed silently, 'please give me courage. Protect me and guard me.' Christine swallowed her fears and kept walking towards the fair. She couldn't have her fears come in the way for her friend in need. She had to get to him, no matter what. No matter how dark or scary it was she had to help him. She came this far, why stop now?

After walking for five minutes, she arrived at the fair. Christine walked up to a woman and asked her, "Excuse me, Madam, what time is it?" The woman looked down at Christine and wondered where her parents where. She looked at her husband and asked for his pocket watch.

"It's nine o'clock, on the dot." she woman replied.

"Thank you." Christine said politely.

Christine then left for the tent in which the boy lay, waiting for her. The woman's eyes followed the little girl till she disappeared into the tent.

**XXX **

Christine made sure that no one was in the tent besides her and the boy. After a few moments passed by she entered the tent. Her little feet made a faint nose while she walked towards him. He looked up at the noise.

"You came back." he said in disbelief. She stared at him.

"Of coarse I did. Why wouldn't I?" When he didn't answer her question she said, "I thought you might be hungry, so I brought you this." She indicated to the bag that she was holding. She knelt down in front of him and handed him the bag. As he took the bag he murmured his thanks to her. She nodded to him. She couldn't help but notice that his hands were freezing. She frowned. He unwrapped the bag and started to eat. He suddenly stopped eating.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked him.

"It's just that you gave me utensils. Why?" he said.

"I thought I would just give you the option in using them... I guess." she said as she shrugged.

He finished the rest of his meal quietly. When he finished eating he looked up at her and then turned his gase to look behind her. His eyes widened. "Look out!" he yelled. "Run!"

Before Christine could do anything, she felt something close around her wrist. The vice grip that held her wrist, turned her around. Christine gasped in horror. It was him! The man who was beating this boy. Javert!

Christine screamed, "Get off me! Get off me right this instant!"

"Do you have any money to see the freak, little girl?" he asked angrily. "Because if you don't, you were trespassing on my property."

"No, I haven't any money to see the big freak that stands in front of me." she said boldly. "Really, you shouldn't call yourself a freak."

"Why you little bitch!" he hissed and slapped her across the face. "You just earned yourself a punishment. Of course I will enjoy this." he said with an evil grin.

"Let her go! It's me you want!" the boy growled angrily.

"What are you going to do about it?" he asked laughing.

"I will kill you if you harm her in any way. Consider yourself a dead man now, for you hurt her just now." he said. Javert let out a bark of laughter.

"You are in a cage! I doubt that you can do anything to protect her. Which reminds me to ask, do you, a monster, have feelings for this girl?" Javert laughed. "Now tell me, how can a beauty love a beast." he jeered.

The boy's once golden eyes turned to a dark shade of red. The boy was furious. His body was shaking with rage.

Without waiting for a reply, Javert picked Christine up and threw her over his shoulder. Christine screamed "LET ME GO! PUT ME DOWN!" Tears started streaming down her cheeks. Christine kicked her legs into his stomach and pounded her fists into his back.

"YOU WILL PAY FOR YOUR ACTIONS, JAVERT! YOU WILL PAY DEARLY! YOU WILL LIVE TO REGRET THIS!" the boy roared furiously.

Soon Christine and Javert where out of sight. The boy only heard Christine's screams.

_**A/N: Oh no! What will Erik do? How will he escape? If he escapes, will he make it in time to save Christine? Why is the sky blue? WHY? . Wow that was random. lmao! I like to keep you all on the edge of your seats. (You): What the hell is wrong with this girl! Why did she end the chapter when it started to get good/suspenceful. She's fucking nuts! (Me): I want to keep you guessing, that's all. (You) --  
Sorry, the chapter is short. I'll try to update this as soon as I can. Who knows, I might get the next chapter finished a little faster if I get some good reviews. .**_


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N: I'm so sorry I stopped the story at an interesting part. I know a lot of you must want to rip my head off for doing that to you. I feel like doing the same to myself right now. I guess I just wanted to fit in the chapter as quickly as I could before New Years. I had a big brain storm that day and I needed to write it down. I stopped when I did because I didn't know how exactly I was going to write this chapter. (Chapter 7)**_

_**Thanks to my reviewers.**_

**_scarletghost13: Thanks for the ideas. I think I'm going to use two of your ideas. I was thinking about doing what you told me. You will find out what I will use in this chapter and later chapters. _**

**_the Mouse in the Opera House: Aww. I'll try and update as soon as I can. I just have the holidays and homework to do, that's all. I'll try my hardest. Yes, homework on my Christmas break. That's my crazy Algebra teacher for ya. I think I have to solve like 90 problems. . _**

**_Twinkle22: With this chapter you might not expect what I'm going to do next. . Mu ha ha! _**

**_Lotte Rose 37: I will answere all your questions in this chapter or the next. I'll take some beano. ._**

**_The opening of this chapter will be with Erik. When I have my little (XXX) that seperates the place, it will take place with Christine. It will be one of those meanwhile things. I bet you're confused now. That's alright. You'll get it eventially._**

**You: Start the story already.**

**Me: Ok, ok, ok.**

**Chapter 7**

The boy grabed onto the bars of the cage, shaking them violently. He growled in fustration. He cursed under his breath. 'How the hell am I going to get to her!' he thought. He looked around. His eyes landed on the fork. 'That's it!' he thought. He bent down and picked up the fork. He then slid it into the lock. His hands shook with fear that he would not make it in time to save Christine. He cursed as his shaking hands fumbled on the lock. Finally, the lock made a satifying click. He swung open the cage door. 'These untencils did surve a perpuos after all.' a small smile curved at the corner of his lips.

'Wait a minute.' he thought to himself. 'Javert is twice the size of me. I need something to protect Christine and I.' his eyes scaned the room. He found a rather long rope. 'This will do just fine' he thought as he picked it up. 'I'd rather not use a knife and get my hands dirty with his filth.' He quickly tied the rope into a noose. He knew it was sloppily made but he also knew it would sranggle Javert if he where to put it arround his flabby neck.

He ran quietly to the direction that Javert and Christine went. He just hoped he wasn't too late.

**XXX** **_meanwhile, as the boy is trying to get out of the cage... _**

Javert went into the next tent and walked strait to the talble. He took his free arm and shoved the brandy bottle and the glasses off the table. He reached for Christine and dumped her on the table with a_ thud_. Christine cried out in pain with his harshness. "Please let me go!" she cried. "I want to go home."

"Shut up!" he yelled. He gagged her with a piece of cloth.

The tears came down her cheeks in torrents as the cloth muffled her cries. She did what she thougth of first. She kicked and punched every inch she could mannage to reach on Javert. It didn't seem to be working until her foot came in contact with his groin. Javert let out a growl of pain.

"You bitch!" he yelled. He started to hit his fists into her ribs. She cried out in pain. "There, just what you deserve for that."

Javert reached for a rope and tied her hands together and her feet to the legs of the table, with difficulty.

Christine didn't know what he was going to do to her, but she knew it wasn't going to be good. She struggled with the ropes, only breaking her skin on her wrists and ancles.

Javert unbuckled his belt and threw it to the corner of the tent. He then took of his pants so that he was only in his drawers. Christine closed her eyes as tightly as she could. Christine then faited with fright for what was to happen next.

"Do not move another inch, Javert!" a voice hissed.

The boy walked into the tent. Before Javert could do anything, he threw the noose over his neck. He sqweesed. Javert choaked for air. His face started to turn purple. "Didn't think I would stay true to my word?" the boy said smiling.

"You don't have the guts to kill me" Javert choaked.

"Oh really?" he said. "Think again!" The boy jurcked his wrist back and with a loud _crack _he ended Javert's life. The man hit the grownd with a_ thud_.

The boy's eyes softened and turned to their normal golden color when his gaze fell upon Chrisitne's unconcious form. He walked over to her and carefully untied the ropes that held her down. He then took the cloth out of her mouth. He patted her face softly to wake her. They had to leave as soon as they could before someone relizes Javert's dead.

He looked for a bucket of cool water. He found the bucket and dipped the cloth into the water. He gently dabbed the cloth along Christine's rosy cheeks and forhead. 'She is the most beautiful creature that has graced this earth.' he thought in wonder.

She stured a bit and her eyes fluttered open. She stared into his golden orbs. "Come we must hide." he said.

He gave her his hand and helped her off the table. He lead her out of the tent without her seeing Javert's dead body. "Keep to the shadows," he whispered, "and stay close to me."

"Where are we going?" she whispered back.

"I don't know yet" he said.

"How about my house." she suggested.

"Okay." he said under his breath.

_**A/N: I hope you liked the chapter. I have a pretty good idea what I'm going to be doing with this story, from now on. I don't know how fast I will update because like I said I have algebra homework. . If there are any grammer errors, please ignor them. I wrote this chapter as fast as I could**_

_**Well, have a Happy New Year! .**_

_**-Jess-**_


	8. Chapter 8

_**A/N: AHH! MIDTERMS! SCREAM OH, I'M BURNING ALIVE!**_

_**On a lighter note, I finally got a program that has spell check. It's not Word, but it will have to do for now. Sorry for the mistakes in the last chapters in spelling and grammar. **_

_**Thanks for all the reviews, I enjoyed hearing from you all.**_

_**I was wondering if more girls or more boys read my story. So please tell me. Also tell me if you hate Raoul, love him, like him, or are undecided. I want to know, I'm curious. .**_

_**Now, without further adieu, chapter 8.**_

**Chapter 8**

Together they both made their way to Christine's house. The boy held her hand leading her to her house.

'Why is he leading me to my own house, he doesn't even know where I live?' Christine asked herself. 'And why is he holding my hand?'

Although she questioned herself about holding his hand, she felt safe. 'I think I just answered my own question' she pondered to herself, 'the reason that he is holding my hand is to make sure I'm safely by his side.' For a brief second she felt small flutter of butterflies in her stomach.

"Make a right down this road." Christine said quietly. They turned down the road as directed. "The second house to the left." she whispered.

They stopped in front of a white two story-house. Christine then walked with the boy over to the tree which grew on the left side of the house. They stopped in front of the tree, and Christine looked up first at the tree, then towards the window.

"That window over there," she whispered pointing, "That is the window to my room. We have to climb the tree to get into the house. Please be sure not to make a sound, for my father is asleep by now."

"I'll go first." the boy said. Christine nodded. With the agility and speed of a cat, he climbed up the tree to the lowest branch. Christine was surprised at the strength the boy's skinny body possessed. He was sitting on the branch, looking at Christine. He reached his arm out to her, and she took it with her small hands. His long fingers wrapped securely around her arm, while his other hand was holding onto the trunk of the tree for support. Christine soon found herself sitting next to him on the branch. From there on Christine managed climbing up the tree on her own. The boy was waiting for her on the top branch that was closest to Christine's bedroom window.

Christine reached the branch that the boy was perched upon. The boy turned and faced the window and moved as close as he could to it. He jumped from the branch onto the ledge of the open window. He made it into the room without a sound then turned around to gesture to Christine to do the same.

Christine inched her way over to the window, just as the boy did. She grabbed onto the thin branch with her left hand for balance. Christine stepped forward and lost her footing. The thin branch in her hand snapped. The boy's hand shot out of the window and grabbed her right hand, catching her before she fell.

"You're slipping from my grasp. Quick, grab onto the ledge!" She looked at him with fear in her eyes, "Don't worry, I won't let you fall." the boy said.

Christine did as she was told and put her left hand on the ledge. The boy then pulled her up into the house.

"Thank you so much." Christine said on the verge of tears. "You saved me twice today. How can I ever repay you!" she said rather than asked. Without hesitation she hugged him gently. His arms hung limply at his sides in shock. He slowly moved his arms around her. He savored the feeling of her body pressing up against his naked chest. He held her for a minute in the warm embrace then she parted from him. Her chocolate eyes stared into his amber ones for a while until she spoke.

"I better show you to your room." Christine whispered. She turned from him and made her way to a door. She waved her hand for him to follow. She opened the door and they both walked in.

"This is the only door that leads into this room. I assure you, you will have your privacy. Just try not to make a noise, lest my father discovers you. I shall bring you a cloth and a bucket of water for you to bathe, excuse me," she said. Christine walked out of the room and made her way to the bathroom that was across the hall to her bedroom. She filled the bucket up with lukewarm water and threw a piece of cloth in. She quietly walked across the hall with the bucket.

"Why are you up so late, Christine, and what are you doing?" Christine's father asked sleepily.

Christine heart skipped a beat. "I- I was just..." she stammered. Her mind drew a blank as she tried to make up an excuse. It finally came to her, "I couldn't sleep so I decided to read. A few moments ago I had just finished reading. I was just getting ready for bed." she said.

He nodded. "Carry on." He said. "Oh and, Christine, may I have a word with you tomorrow? Not now, for it is late. Off to bed, goodnight, my angel."

"Yes, Father, goodnight." She walked up to him and planted a kiss on his cheek. He did the same.

"Sleep well." He said before turning the corner into his room.

Christine turned to the door closing it behind her. She walked towards the boy and placed the bucket on his room. He mummered his thanks to her.

"I'm sorry, I haven't any clothes for you, but I have something to keep you warm during your stay here." He nodded.

She left the room and came back with a few heavy blankets. He was sitting on the twin bed when he saw her enter. She noticed he had lit the candle on his night stand.

"Thank you, Christine, for your hospitality. It means a lot to me." he said with truth in his eyes... And something else Christine couldn't quite distinguish.

"Goodnight," she paused, "mon ami." Before he could respond, she closed the door.

Christine dressed into her nightclothes and crawled underneath her covers.

She lie on back fully awake, 'A lot has changed in my life since my eighth birthday.' she thought. 'What was that look in his eyes? Was it happiness? No, the look in his eyes was far stronger than just happiness.'

Christine's breathing became slow and deep as she drifted off to sleep.

_**A/N: Just wanted to say to my sister that she is partly right about writers not being human. At least she and I aren't human. We are almost like vampires... Never really stopping to eat or sleep. We live off of the reviews of other people. Reviews are like blood to us... Our source of survival. We can't live without it. LOL! SO REVIEW! . Or I shall... "die".**_

_**Just went a little dark there. Ha ha ha.**_

_**Remember to tell me what your feelings are towards Raoul, and I just wanted to know if more boys read my stories or girls. **_

_**Also how do you think of this story so far? OMG it's so cool? Great? Good? So-so? Bad? Yuck It's horrible? **_

_**Which one?**_


	9. Chapter 9

_**A/N: I am extremely bored right now so I'm going to write the chapter. I've been having a really bad day and the only thing that seems to help is writing. **_

_**Any who I think this is going to be a two part story. I'm still thinking about it. In case anyone didn't know this takes place on September 27, 1867. (two days after Christine's birthday.) **_

**Chapter 9**

Christine woke to a knock on her door.

"Christine, breakfast is ready." her father's muffled voice called from behind the door.

"Thank you, Father" she called to him sleepily.

Christine got out of bed and quickly dressed into a pale green dress. She brushed the tangles out of her long chocolate curls. She made her way down the stairs and into the kitchen. "Good morning, Father." Christine said cheerfully.

"Good morning, Christine. I trust you've slept well." he said smiling. He handed her a warm plate of scrambled eggs and bacon. Christine's mouth watered at the sight of the appetizing food. She had forgotten how hungry she really was. Her father loaded his plate and sat down opposite of Christine.

"Father? What did you want to talk to me about?" Christine asked. He put down his fork.

"Oh, yes. Christine, I wanted to say that I am sorry for being so harsh on you yesterday and the day before. It's just that," he paused and started again, "That night I could have lost you. All I have in my life is you now that your mother is gone." His eyes were starting to fill up with tears. "I don't know what I would have done if you were taken away from me." The tears spilled onto his cheeks. "I didn't want to punish you like that, Christine. It pained me to do so." Christine felt a pang of guilt for scaring him like this. Not only did she scare him, but she ran away from home.

"It's okay, Father. I'm here with you and safely in the house now." she said reassuringly. She got up from her chair and made her way over to him. She kissed his cheek and hugged him tightly. "I love you, Father."

"I love you too." he said wiping the tears from his face. "Now our food is getting cold, Christine." he said with a kind smile.

They both ate there breakfast as Christine's father inquired about how warm and breezy it was that September morning.

**XXX**

When Christine was finished with her breakfast, she went upstairs with some food hidden in her napkin. She walked into her room and closed the door behind her. She knocked on the door to the boy's room. There was no answered. "Mon ami?" she called. Still there was no answered. She turned around as she heard a noise outside the window. Christine gasped as she saw the boy climbing threw the window into her room.

"Where were you!" she said dreading the answered. "You could have been seen." She realized that something was different about him.

"I went out to get some clothes for myself" he said. She finally realized that he was fully dressed in black pants and a white dress shirt.

"Where did you get them" she asked astonished.

"They were hanging on a clothes line." he said innocently.

Christine gasped. "You stole them!" she said.

"Well, where else would I have gotten clothes. Do you expect me to walk around town in broad daylight, without any money, and barely any clothes on only to ask someone to take off their clothes and give them to me for nothing in return? Honestly, Christine, you can..." he stopped as he realized he was starting to yell at her. He looked at her apologetically. "I'm sorry." he said while turning to close the window. "I didn't mean to loose my temper. Excuse me." he said while walking past her. He went into his room and shut the door with a click. 'You fool!' he scolded himself. 'After all she has done for you, you yell at her!'

_**A/N: I know this chapter is short, but I might just update soon. **_

_**Anyway, you might think that people don't hang their clothes out to dry during late September but my mom does on breezy days. Thankfully no one has stolen any of my clothes. . I would like to thank my betas for checking my work and making sure that I don't make any stupid mistakes. Thanks Izzy! Thanks Nicole! .**_

**_-Jessica-_**

_**PS- I feel much better now.**_


	10. Chapter 10

**_A/N: Hey! Thank you for all the reviews! I'm heavily thinking about having Erik half deformed. It just seems right to me since my first experience to Erik was in the 2004 movie. Just in case you didn't know, the characters in this story are based off of the 2004 movie._**

**_Also, which movie refers to Erik having the last name, Destler? Just give me the year that the movie was made and tell me if it is horror, musical, or romance version. Please read and review._**

**_Right! On with the story! Come, Patsy. (I Love Monty Python!) . September 27, 1867_**

**Chapter 10**

Christine left her room in a slightly depressed mood. 'Are we not friends anymore? Does he hate me? Do I annoy him?' Christine asked herself. So many questions were buzzing in her head. A few tears slid down her rosy cheeks. 'Calm down, Christine.' she ordered herself. 'Don't think about him. Look for something that will cheer you up.' Christine's feet soon led her to the living room which was also the library and music room. She spent most of her day in the living room with her father. She found him standing near the bookshelf looking for a book to read.

"Father?" Christine called.

"Yes, angel? he asked turning around to look at her.

"Will you read me a book?" she asked hopefully.

"Of course, Christine." he replied. "What would you like me to read to you?"

Christine walked over to the bookshelf and ran her tiny finger across the spines of the many different books. "This one." she said taking the book off the bookshelf. She handed the book to her father. He took the book and read the cover "The Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales." "You sure you want me to read you this" he asked. Christine nodded to him. "Okay." Christine didn't know what to expect in this book, for she never read it before.

Christine cuddled up next to her father on the couch while he read to her, _Little Red Cape, Hansel and Grettle, Cinderella_, and _Rapunsel. _

When her father stopped reading, she looked up at him and winkled her nose. "What is that all about?" he asked her.

"Why did most of these stories end with someone's eyes being poked out?" she asked him.

"That is a very good question, angel. I don't know." he paused and realized that she looked paler than usual. "Christine, were these stories too scary?" he asked.

Christine shook her head and said, "No." Her father raised his eyebrow. "Alright, yes. It did frighten me." she confessed.

"Why don't we start your singing lessons. After that you can go to see Raoul while I work on my music." he said.

"Okay, Father." Christine said.

**XXX**

The boy rolled over in his bed trying to get some sleep with great difficulty. Although he was very tired, it had been difficult to sleep ever since the previous night. He couldn't believe he was no longer in the traveling fair and that the reason that he wasn't there was because somebody cared about him. And to think that the only one who cared about him was the girl he had just yelled at a few hours ago. He got out of bed and walked over to the door. He opened it an heard the music of a violin softly die. He walked out of Christine's bedroom and slipped into the hall quietly. He sat himself down on the top of the stairs were he could hear Christine's father talking to her.

"Are you all ready to go?" he asked her.

"Yes, Father." she said.

"I will come to pick you up in a half hour." he informed her

Christine and her father made there way to the door. The boy heard the footsteps coming nearer. He stood up and walked closer to Christine's bedroom but not entering it. Instead he heard the door close and quickly walked down the steps. He looked out of a window and watch a carriage ride away.

_**A/N: I'm going to take a break from writing this for a while because of midterms. I have to study. I'm not the least bit happy, but at least I submitted two updates today. (one on this story and one on "Save Me")**_

_**I case you didn't know "Little Red Cape" is called "Little Red Riding Hood" today. "The Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales" have all the stories of the Grimm Brothers in it. I just pick out their more famous stories.**_

_**Please review!**_


	11. Chapter 11

_**A/N: I want to squeeze in as much as I can into this story. Thank you all for the reviews everyone, I love hearing from you all. I got my first part of my exams done, which left my brain all tired and mushy. **_

_**Today was a good day because Monty Python was on the radio this morning. (Q:Why do witches burn? A: B-because they are mad of wood. Q: Good. How can we tell weather she is made of wood? A: Build a bridge out of her! Q: Ah, but can we not also make bridges out of stone? A: Oh yeah. Q: Tell me, does wood sink in water? A: No, no it floats, it floats. Throw her into the pond. Q: What also floats in water? A: many people shouting different answerers Bread, apples, very small rock, cider, great gravy, cherries, mud, churches, churches, led, led, a duck! gasp Q: Exactly. So logically...? A: If she weighs the same as a duck, she's made of wood. Q: And therefore...? long pause A witch! A witch! Burn her!) **_

_**Sorry couldn't help myself. I could go on all day. . **_

**Chapter 11 **

The boy turned from the window and sat down in the chair that Christine and her father were in not too long ago. He picked up the book that they were reading and scanned the cover. He placed it down when his eyes rested on the violin. He picked it up and examined it. 'This is a nicely made violin. It would be a shame to not play it.' he thought. He picked up the bow and placed the violin under his chin. A slow sad song issued forth from the violin. He began to sway with the song and became fully absorbed in it. A sudden slam of a door being closed, snapped him out of his trance. He placed the violin back were he found it and snuck back upstairs into his room.

Gustav walked in the door, placed his coat on the chair, and made his way over to his violin. Just before he started to play he heard a floorboard creek. He put down the violin and realized that it came from upstairs. "Hello?" he said. He started to climb the stairs

The boy cursed as he heard the man coming towards his room.

Gustav walked into his daughter's room. The room was empty. He noticed the door to the spare bedroom was open ajar. He lit a candle and walked into the room. He opened the door slightly just enough to fit his head and the candle inside. His eyes scanned the room. The bed was unmade and he made a note to himself to ask Christine why that was. Seeing that no one was in the room, he decided to start his work. 'I will have to pick up Christine soon.' he thought to himself.

As soon as the boy heard the violin start to play, he let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding. He moved from his hiding spot, behind the door, and walked to his bed. He took off his mask and wiped the sweat off his face. He soon fell into a deep asleep.

**XXX **

Gustav scribbled a last few notes on the paper. He then looked at the clock. "Nearly time." he mumbled. He stood up and put on his coat and left the house. He climbed into the carriage he flagged down.

In no more than five minutes he was at the De Chagny's house. He saw Christine and Raoul playing on the lawn with the Vicomtess watching over them. He stepped out of the carriage.

"Father! Father!" Christine called. She ran up to him and hugged him. "I missed you." He picked her up and kissed her cheek. She kissed his cheek back.

"I hope you had fun, angel." he said as he placed her back down on the grass.

"Oh yes, I did have a lot of fun." she said cheerfully.

"Say your goodbyes." he said to her.

"Okay." she said walking over to Raoul and his mother. "Thank you Raoul and Mme. De Chagny for having me over today. Goodbye. I hope you come to the Paris Opera House someday to visit us." she said.

"Goodbye my dear." Mme. De Chagny said with a smile. She hugged Christine. "Have a safe trip."

When Christine pulled away form Mme. De Chagny hug, she turned to face Raoul. "Goodbye" she walked over to him and gave him a hug.

"Okay, Father, I'm ready." she said.

Christine followed her father to the carriage and climbed in.

"Father, may I go to confession today?" Christine asked.

"I don't see why not. It's on our way home." he replied.

The carriage stopped in front of the small church.

"I can go in by myself." she informed her father.

She climbed out of the carriage and walked into the church. Everything was very quiet in the church. Christine walked into the confessional booth and kneeled down next to the screen where, on the other side, Father Lenard was kneeling.

"Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned. May last confession was a month ago, these are my sins." Christine said.

"Go on, my child." Father Lenard said in a calm tone.

"I have brought a boy into the house without my father knowing."

"For a short visit?"

"No. For him to stay for a while."

"I see."

"He needed shelter and food, Father Lenard. I couldn't just leave him on the streets to die."

"Why haven't you told your father of this?"

There was a long pause.

"Go ahead, child. There is no sin unforgivable."

Christine still kept quiet.

"You know, I am not allowed to repeat anything you say, for you are in confession. You may speak freely."

Christine swallowed.

"He is wanted."

"What do you mean by that?"

"He escaped from a traveling fair. People are looking for him."

He paused. "Father Lenard?" she called

"Yes?"

"Am I forgiven?"

"Yes. Is there anything else you would like to confess."

"Yes. The night I brought the boy home, I disobeyed my father. He punished me and I didn't obey him."

"Is that all?"

"Yes, Father"

He made the sign of the cross and said, "You are forgiven. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. May God bless you, child."

"Thank you Father." she said and walked out of the church. She walked into the carriage. The carriage drove way as Christine and her father headed home.

_**A/N: I think that will hold you till midterms are over. . **_

_**I'm quit sure that Christine is old enough to make confession. Sorry if that is not exactly how confession goes. I haven't gone in a while.**_

_**For some of you who don't know, Gustav is Christine's father. I was just getting tired of calling him "Christine's father" and I'm sure you where tired of reading it. .**_

_**Oh yes. In last chapter I checked my last A/N and I said that the old story on "Little Red Riding Hood" was "Little Red Cape", well it's "Little Red Cap." Oops. :P**_

_**Please review!**_


	12. Chapter 12

_**A/N: Hey again. I know some of you are wondering exactly how old Christine and Erik are. Erik is about 12 and Christine is 8. I hope you like it.   
. **_

_**Also I was wondering anyone had a myspace. **_

**Chapter 12 **

Christine and her father walked into the house.

"Dinner will be ready soon." he said.

"Okay, Father. I just have to do something." she said.

Christine went into her room and brushed her hair. She placed the brush back on her bedside table, then walked to the bathroom and washed her hands and face. With a sigh of feeling refreshed she turned back to her room.

'I better check on my friend.' she told herself with a smile. She opened the door a crack and peered in. The light from her room spilled into his room. She saw that he was asleep so she turned to leave when she realized he wasn't wairing the potato sack over his head. From what Christine could see, his right cheek that was covered in rather large bumps. The red bumpy flesh started from his nose and stopping to his ear.

Christine's hand covered her mouth to keep from gasping. She watched him for a while, rooted to the spot. Tears started to form in her eyes. She closed the door and ran to her bed. She laid down on her bed and started to sob into her pillow. 'That is what kept him from living a normal life.' she sobbed, if possible even harder, just from the thought of it. Her sorrow soon became anger.

"WHY!" Christine screamed into her pillow, tears still flowing from her eyes. "Why! He doesn't deserve a life like this! No one does!" her sobs making her body shake. Christine's tears slowed and soon came to a stop. She sat up in bed feeling a little dizzy. Wiping the tears away from her eyes she climbed out of bed and walked to her mirror and looked at it for a while, starring back at the sad little girl. She sniffled and headed downstairs for dinner, not caring that her eyes where all red and puffy.

**XXX **

Christine sat down at the table and waited for her father to join her. He placed her dinner plate in front of her. She just stared down at her food and pocked it with her fork, in a pensive mood.

"What is wrong, Christine? I thought you liked beef." her father asked.

"I'm sorry, Father. I'm not hungry any more." she paused. "May I be excused?" she asked him.

"Yes. I will save your dinner for later." he called out to her as she made her way back to her room.

Christine laid herself on her bed once again and fell asleep instantly.

_**A/N: I think you all will love the next chapter. It is one of my favorite ideas in this story so far. I hope you love it just as much as I love it. . Sorry this chapter is short. **_

_**Erik's eyes are not mismatched like in the Leroux version. I hope you are not all mad at the way I described him. His deformity looks like the phantom from the 2004 movie minus the eye that sags a bit. It looks so unconformable. . I hope I don't get any hate reviews from this chapter. Oh yes and Erik doesn't have to wair a wig. He has natural black hair. **_

_**-Jess-**_


	13. Chapter 13

_**A/N: I'm sorry for the last two chapters. I know there were some grammar and spelling issues. I have two betas working on this story, and for the last 2 chapters, they were either too tired, or not around at the time. gurrr. **_

_**I know some of you were a little disappointed and were wondering why my chapters were so short. It was because of my midterms. I try and fit as much as I can. **_

_**Yes, I did change my summary for the story. I was not giving enough info on the story, I thought. **_

_**This chapter has been on my mind for the past few days. I thought it was really cute. Now you will know why I put the Brothers Grimm book in this story. Well... partly. It was because this was the first story that came to my head when I was thinking what kind of book should I use in the story. I'm not too savvy on when things were published and when certain things were invented. . **_

_**There's some Raoul bashing. . I know some of you have been waiting for this moment. **_

**_Note: Italics are dreams. _**

**_Warning: This chapter is a little morbid. I've never written something like this before. _**

_**Any who... here's the next chapter... **_

**Chapter 13 **

_Christine was running in the forest. Why? She didn't know. She just felt like she had to run or something bad might happen. She heard deep breathing coming from behind her as she ran. Someone or something was chasing her. She had a small wicker basket in her hands as she ran for her life. She tripped on a tree stump and hit the forest ground. Panting, she stood up, abandoning the basket. But it was too late. In front of her stood a massive black wolf with red eyes. The wolf opened it's powerful jaws slightly. One, maybe two inch, white fangs were bared. Drool dripped out of the hungry wolf's mouth. _

_Christine backed into a tree. The wolf advanced on her. Soon the wolf turned into Javert. **(A/N: Don't ask. Dreams are weird and confusing) **"Your father was delicious, but I'm still hungry. I think I'll have seconds." he said with an evil smile. He lunged at her, but he missed. _

_"No!" she cried. _

_Christine was soon in a tower, alone. 'What just happened' she asked herself. _

_She inspected the room. There was no doors. Just a rather large window. She looked down and saw that there was a forty foot drop. She backed away from the window. She then bumped into something that gave a small grunt. She turned around to see an ugly, old hag. She had a hump on her back and white hair that almost touched the ground. **(A/N: Think of I-gore in Young Frankenstein, with long hair .) **_

_"You will spend the rest of your useless life in this tower." she hissed. _

_With a wave of her hand she disappeared. _

_"Christine! Christine!" called a voice from outside the tower. Christine looked down from the tower and saw a small figure on the ground. _

_"Raoul! Is that you?" she called out to him. _

_"Yes, it's me. Now throw something down so I can climb up and rescue you." he called. _

_She looked around the room for something long. She then realized that her hair was growing right before her eyes. Christine's eyes widened at the sight. She grabbed her hair and lowered it down the window. The hair touched the ground. Raoul held it for a while. Her hair stopped growing once he took hold of it. He started climbing up the tower. _

_"What's this?" the old crown yelled. "A boy coming to save you. Not on my watch." She waved her hands in the air as if to grab something that wasn't there. Two black ravens appeared in the distance. "Take care of this" she told the ravens. The ravens landed on Raoul's shoulders. _

_Raoul screamed in pain. Each raven was pecking out his eyeballs. When the ravens successfully taken out the eyeballs, they swallowed it. Christine saw the big lump going down their throats. Raoul lost his grip on her hair and fell on a wheelbarrow. The wood splintered and no sooner, impaled him. Christine wanted to scream at the gruesome sight, but her voice was paralyzed. _

_The old hag took her arm in a vice grip and they were soon in a house entirely made out of candy. "You better eat up, girl. I need to make supper tonight. You are invited." _

_"Really?" Christine squeaked. _

_"Oh yes, my dear. You are the main course." she said with a shrill laugh. She pushed Christine into an oven and turned on the heat. _

_"No! Get me out of here! Please stop! Someone please help me! she screamed. _

Christine woke up in a cold sweat. She was still panting. She felt tears running down her cheek. "It was just a dream" she said as her voice started to crack with emotion. She rolled over in bed trying to get to sleep. 'What if the dreams come back?' she asked herself. She got out of her bed. 'I have an idea.' she thought. She went to the boy's door and knocked a few times. As she waited, she looked out of the window and realized that it must have been around midnight by now. She was startled when the door opened. She didn't even hear him coming. The boy saw it was Christine and let her in.

When she was in the room, she walked over to him. "What's the matter?" he asked under his breath. He saw that her face was covered with sweat and maybe even tears.

"I can't sleep." her voice cracked. Tears fell down her cheeks. "I had a nightmare." She paused for a second. She walked into his arms, wanting more then ever to feel his warm embrace. She hugged him tightly and sobbed quietly into his dress shirt. He put his arms around her and rested his chin on her head. She stopped her crying after a while and looked up at him. "May I sleep with you tonight? Please." She looked at his face, now covered with the sack.

He looked at her in shock. He soon recovered and nodded his head. She smiled at him. "Thank you."

She climbed into his bed. He tucked the covers around her small frame and soon sat on the floor. "No," she said, "I want you to sleep next to me."

He looked up at her and gulped. 'Give her what she wants.' he told himself. 'You owe it to her. After all, you yelled at her and hurt her feelings.' He then climbed into the bed next to her. He lay on his back on Christine's left. She slept on her side, her back facing him so as to not fall off the bed.

"Thank you" she said.

"Y- your welcome." he whispered. "I'm sorry that I yelled at you this morning."

"That's okay." she replied. "Mon ami? Do you have a name?"

"Yes."

"What is it?"

"Erik.

"Erik...?" she said wondering what his last name was.

"Just Erik." he said calmly.

"Erik." she said, trying the name out.

Erik felt his heart beating rapidly. His name sounded beautiful when she said it.

"It suits you." she said with a smile. "Goodnight, Erik." She closed her eyes.

Erik lay awake. He moved his head so that it was just above her head. He breathed in her scent. 'She smells like roses' he thought. A smile played across his lips. 'She is so beautiful and kind. I feel so... happy when she is around. Is that really what this new feeling is? Happiness?' He then closed his eyes and fell asleep.

_**A/N: I think this is my favorite chapter so far. It has Raoul bashing and some fluff. I hoped you liked this chapter. Please review and tell me what you thought about it. **_

_**Also, today I don't have my betas around, so I'll do the best I can without them. :( So please don't get mad if there are some errors. **_

_**Please review. **_


	14. Chapter 14

_**A/N: Thanks for the reviews! . You may want to read the author note people.  
There's some really good questions people have asked me, that I think you all  
need to read. **_

_**From here on, I'm going to be putting thoughts in italics.**_

**_About Christine and Erik's relationship and their ages: Some of you might be  
thinking "Aren't Christine and Erik a little young for a relationship this  
strong." (Christine: 8 Erik: 12) That is kinda normal. I was 4 when I had my  
first crush on a boy. Christine is just a huggie person so she just hugs Erik a  
lot. Plus she's a little hug deprived since there's no one living with her   
besides her father, and he's a busy man composing, although he will  
occasionally take a break to spend time with Christine. I've read a book saying  
that girls can have their periods as early as 8 to 9 years old. Christine might  
be one of those lucky people. Also, Christine is quite mature for her age.  
Don't ask, she just is. . She's a little taken with Erik. I mean what girl  
would not have a crush on a boy like Erik, who has just saved her?_**

Yes the dream was really weird. But what dream isn't. Dreams don't make sense  
sometimes. Leli1013, the Grimm stories were just stuck in her mind so quickly  
because it was scary for her. I've watched the Exorcist when I was young, and  
it scared the shit out of me. I had nightmares for a while. .

Opera Dove: No, I didn't kill off Christine's father. Also, I didn't include   
Erik in the story because I didn't want him to be the one that had his eyes  
poked out. I wanted Christine to realize how useless Raoul really is. JK lol. I  
didn't want to put Erik in the dream, only to show that he wasn't able to save  
her. I wanted Christine to be so frightened of the dream, so that she would go  
to Erik for comfort. I will send the chapters for you to beta them. Thanks for  
the offer.

Lotte Rose 37 : Erik knows about sex, but he's not about to rape Christine in  
the dead of night. After all, he must know that the funny feeling in his pants  
relates to something sexual. Just Kidding. . Erik has always seen Javert take  
a woman behind a tent, after his beatings. He also knew what was going on when  
Christine was about to be raped by Javert. And yes I'm thinking about rating  
this M by the end of this story. I'm also thinking about leaving this T and  
make a part 2. I will then rate the part 2 rated M. I don't know yet.

moonlit-leaf : Welcome and thanks for the review.

Mademoiselle Fleur Augereau : I know it was a really weird dream. . But what  
dream isn't.

To: Mary Anne Talbot , siriuslyaphanatic, whatakick , Mystari , the Mouse in  
the Opera House , Amaya92 , Twinkle22 , tink20 , and Morte Rouge for the kind  
reviews.  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything of the Phantom of the Opera and I don't own  
any of the Brothers Grimm stories.

and now...  
  
Chapter 14  
  
Christine woke abruptly to her father's voice calling for her.

"Christine? Are you up? Breakfast is ready, Angel." her father called.

She heard her father knock on her bedroom door. Christine started to panic.  
'He'll soon come looking for me. And when he finds me, he'll find Erik as well.  
I have to hide him.' she thought.  
"Erik." she whispered urgently and shook his shoulder gently. "Erik, please get  
up. You must hide now."

Erik stirred sat up in bed abruptly. He didn't need telling twice. He slipped out of the sheets and hid under  
the bed. He pulled the covers over the edge of the bed, so as to not allow  
anyone to see him.  
When Christine knew Erik was well hidden she called out to her father, "I'm in  
here."  
Gustav opened up the door and stared at his daughter. "Why are you sleeping in  
here, Angel?"

"I wanted to know what it was like to sleep in this room. After all, we are  
leaving this week." she replied.

"No wonder the bed wasn't made yesterday." he said, turning to leave the room  
and closing the door.

Erik soon poked his head out from under the bed, making sure he was gone, and  
crawled out from underneath the bed. He stood up facing Christine. Christine   
giggled.  
"What?" Erik asked.

Christine giggled even harder. "You're covered in dust bunnies." She pointed at  
his white dress shirt and black pants.

Erik's fingers curled up into a tight fist, making his knuckles white. "I don't  
see anything funny about it." he hissed. Christine stopped laughing. Christine eyes opened, showing her surprise from his reply.

"I... I didn't mean to-." Christine shuddered, but Erik cut in.

"Didn't mean to what, Christine?" he said angrily. _'What are you doing? Don't  
say another word, you fool. You will regret it like last time you yelled at  
her.'_ he scolded himself. Tears formed in the corners of her eyes. Erik's heart  
skipped a beat._ 'I'm making her cry. I have to do something to stop her. I  
don't want to see her cry.'_

"Christine," he said his gaze softened under his mask, "don't cry. I didn't  
mean it. I'm sorry. Is there anything I can do to cheer you up?"

Christine shrugged her shoulders.

"Would you like it if I show you a magic trick?" he asked hopefully.

She nodded.

He walked up to her so that they were only mere inches away from each other. He  
took his right hand and tucked a stray curl behind her ear. With a flick of his  
wrist, a red rose appeared without its thorns. He stepped back and handed it  
to Christine. Her eyes widened.

"Where did you find this rose." she said in amazement. She brought the rose up  
to her nose and breathed in.

"Oh, I can't tell you that." he said with a smile.

"How did you know roses are my favorite flower?" she asked, still amazed.

"They suite you." he said. _'Should I tell her the story about **the Nightingale  
and the White Rose**? No, maybe some other time.' _he thought.

"Thank you," she paused and smiled at him, "for everything. I better get  
dressed. Excuse me."

Christine walked out of Erik's room and into her own. She dressed herself in a  
baby blue dress and hurried downstairs to eat her breakfast.

**_A/N: Please review. ._**


	15. Chapter 15

_**A/N: Thanks for all the lovely reviews: Angel or Demon, Erik's Secret Admirir, lilblondegiry, Kalaia, verylittlelotte, Twinkle22, Indigo Spirit, and**_

_**Mademoiselle Fleur Augereau. A special thanks to my beta, Opera Dove. You are the best beta I've had yet. . **_

**Chapter 15**

"Christine?" Gustav asked, stirring Christine out of her deep thoughts.

"Yes, Father?"

"Could you pass the sugar, please?" Without a word, Christine handed him the sugar. "I was wondering, Christine," he paused, "how was your time with  
Raoul?"

"Oh, it was fine," she said tersely.

"Christine, what is wrong? Why did you go to confession the other day? It's not like you, to just ask to go to confession," he asked. Christine looked up from her plate. "Nothing is wrong, Father." He raised his eyebrow. "Really, I'm fine. I just thought I should confess my sins. I felt guilty about what happened at the fair and the time afterwards."

"Christine," he smiled at her, "getting lost is not a sin."

"I know, Father, but disobeying you is," she frowned. Without another word, Christine walked away from the table, walked up the stairs, and in into her

bedroom.

**XXX**

Christine sat on her bed, looking through the pictures in her books. Erik glided into her room and leaned his back against the wall .

"Hello." Christine said, looking up from her book.

"Good afternoon." he said.

"It's past noon already?"

"Apparently." Erik said sarcastically.

Christine shot him a look. Erik smiled from underneath the mask.

"Do you have any paper and pencils?" he asked her.

"They should be somewhere near the bookshelf," she said pointing at all the books. "Why?"

Erik shrugged. "I feel like drawing."

"Are you any good at it?" she asked, cocking her head slightly.

"I suppose. No one has ever seen my work," he said grabbing the pencil and paper from the shelf. "Sometimes I am happy with my work and other times I am not."

"Could you please draw a picture for me," she asked with pleading eyes, "please?"

"Alright," he answered, picking up the pencil. "What do you want me to draw?"

"Anything you'd like," Christine paused, "Surprise me," she said with a smile.

Erik brought the tip of the pencil to the paper and began to draw. Christine started to look over his shoulder. Erik paused. He looked over to Christine.

"You know, it won't be a surprise if you keep watching me."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"Beauty needs time to develop," he mumbled.

Christine looked away from Erik and continued on with her book until Erik made last minute changes to the drawing.

"Finished," Erik said at last, after what seemed like eternity. Christine looked over his shoulder. She gasped. She had not seen something so beautifully drawn, without something to look at. There on the paper was a big building.

"It's the Paris Opera House," he said.

"I-It's so beautiful. E-Erik, I've never seen a drawing this beautiful, this perfect...," Christine's voice trailed off in awe.

"I'm glad you like it." A triuphant smile spread accross Erik's lips.

"Like it! Are you kidding? I love it!" she exclaimed.

"Then it's yours," he said handing it to her.

"Oh no, Erik I can't just-."

"It's for you," he said, cutting her off. He pressed the drawing in her hand.

"Thank you."

"It was nothing."

"Did you know my father and I are going to be moving to Paris this week?" she asked.

"No, I didn't know."

"We are moving into the Paris Opera House, in fact," she said happily. "My father will be a violin player in the orchestra and I will learn to be the best opera singer in Paris."

Erik smiled at her.

Christine frowned at him.

"What is the matter?" Erik asked.

"But that will mean leaving you," she said, her voice cracking slightly.

"Not to worry. I can survive on my own."

"I didn't mean it that way. I mean that I will not see you again." Tears streamed down Christine's rosy cheeks.

"I will always be with you when you need me," Erik promised.

Christine nodded.

Erik left the room with the paper and pencil. He sat on his bed. _'How will I stay with her without her father seeing me. I can't let him see me, for it will all be _

_over if he does,' _he thought. Erik smiled. _'I will leave as soon as I can, so that I can get settled in Paris, before she even comes,' _Erik paused. _'Where will I_

_live?' _he asked himself. Erik thought back to the drawing. _'I can live underneath the Opera House. The Opera House has a lake and cellars beneath it. I can_

_built my home on the other side of the lake.'_ Erik sketched his "soon to be home" on the paper. He drew trap doors and obstacles that will trap and confuse any

unwanted visitors. He looked over his work._ 'It's perfect.' _

**XXX**

After Erik's dinner, he decided to draw before he retired for the night. "What to draw?" he mumbled under his breath. He looked at Christine's bedroom door.

"Christine," he told himself.

Erik grabbed his supplies and hid in the corner of her room as she slept. She looked like a sleeping angel. Erik couldn't resist the thought of drawing her so as to

keep that image of her.

She looked so... peaceful. The moonlight from the window spilled onto her sleeping frame. Christine's bottom lip was slightly puffed out and her soft rosy cheeks

were round as her chin rested on her chest.

Erik took brought his pencil to the paper and began to draw.

_**A/N: I hope I caught Erik's personality. Tell me what you think of this chapter, please review. I like to read your thoughts and I like to answer your**_

_**questions.**_

_**-Jess-**_


	16. Chapter 16

_**A/N: Hey! Sorry it's been a while. I was busy with school and other stuff.**_

_**This takes place on September 29. This is not going to be a diary or anything. I'm just keeping track of when Christine and her father are going to leave or the Paris Opera House. They are leaving on September 31. That means they have 2 full days left in Sweden.  
**_

**_Thanks to my reviews from: G_****_erardphantomhot_**, **_Mary Anne Talbot, lilsteves, Leli1013, Kalaia, Erik's Secret Admirer, siriuslyaphanatic, _**

**_the Mouse in the Opera House, scarletghost13, and Morte Rouge. I love hearing from you all!_**

_**And a special thanks to Opera Dove for being my beta. You're the best:D  
**_

**_And now... we continue with my little story._  
**

**Chapter 16**

Christine roused from her sleep when warm sun seeped into the room. She sat up in bed and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes with her tiny fists as she let out a big yawn. She shuffled toward her dresser and picked out a emerald green dress.

She went down to the kitchen to eat her already cooked breakfast.

"Father?" Christine called.

"Yes, Angel?" he asked. He was sitting at the table eating his sausage.

"Why didn't you wake me up earlier?"

"I thought it would be a bit sinful to wake a sleeping angel from her beauty sleep," he replied lovingly.

Christine's face grew hot and she looked away as a smile crept across her face. Gustav chuckled.

Christine sat down across from her father. "I'm starved," she pronounced.

Gustav looked into her sparkling brown eyes and smiled. Christine devoured her food greedily as Gustav went over some of his music notes. Christine  
waited until her father was engrossed with his music before slipping a roll and a few sausages into her napkin.

Clutching her napkin, she stood up and thanked her father for the breakfast. She scurried upstairs with the food she had smuggled from the table. She knocked on Erik's bedroom door. He opened the door to see Christine panting from her trip upstairs. She handed him his breakfast.

"Thank you," Erik said softly. Christine looked into his glistening gold eyes. She knew if she could see his face right now, he would be smiling.  
"No problem," Christine shrugged. "When you are finished with your breakfast, would you like to come downstairs? My father will be telling stories."

Erik looked up from his food. "I would like that," he replied. He closed his door, collapsed against the door, for needing some time to think. 'It is decided,' he thought with a sigh, _'I will be leaving today. I have to get a head start on the construction of my home. I do not wish to leave Christine though,' _he thought sadly.

**XXX**

Erik's long, slender fingers played an invisible piano as he sat on top of the steps listening to Christine's conversation with her father. **_(A/N: It's almost like playing air guitar. lol)_**

"Father? Will you tell me the story about the Angel of Music," she pleaded.

"Aren't you going to invite Raoul? We can ask his parents if he could join us for the rest of the day at our house." he suggested.

At those words Erik felt his temper rising slightly. 'I don't like that boy. He spends too much time with Christine. Surly he doesn't feel the same  
way I feel about her.'

"No, Father. I just wanted it to be just you and me," she replied cheerfully, _'and Erik,' _she added silently.

Her father laughed and rubbed his hands together preparing himself for the story. "Little Lotty thought of everything and nothing...," he began.

**XXX**

When the story was over, Erik stood up and slipped into Christine's room quietly.

_'All I need is my drawings,'_ he thought, carefully collecting the papers. _'I should really leave a note. I don't want her to worry,'_ he thought.

Erik grabbed a piece of paper and quill. He dipped the quill into the ink pot and began to write:

_'Christine,  
Thank you for your hospitality. I'm forever in your debt.  
I am sorry to say that I must be on my way, for I have things that I must  
attend to.  
Good-bye, mon ami. I hope to see you again someday.'_

Erik reread his letter. _'She'll probably never know I left the house. She was too busy spending time with that little boy,'_ he thought bitterly.

He picked up the fresh, red rose that he had just gotten form town and laid it on top of the letter. _'There's something missing,'_ Erik thought. He looked around the room. He saw a black ribbon on Christine's nightstand. He picked it up. _'Perfect!' _He tied the ribbon on the stem carefully. He placed the rose on the letter once more. He gave one last look at Christine's room, picked up his drawings, and slipped out the window.

_'I will miss her and her father.'_ And just like that, he was gone.

**  
XXX**

Ten minutes later Christine raced up the stairs and into her room.

"Erik," she called with a big smile on her face. _'He got to hear my favorite story,' _she thought excitedly. "Erik?" she called again. Her smile faded as she looked into Erik's empty room, for he was nowhere to be found. "Erik?" she said called frantically.

She looked around her room. Her eyes fell upon a rose, with her black hair ribbon tied around the stem. She picked it up and breathed in the sent of the rose revealing a letter underneath it. She picked up the letter to read it. She stumbled through the sloppily written words. Christine's eyes filled with tears as she reread the note again to fully understand it.

Christine dropped the not on the floor and ran to her bed. She put her face in the pillow. "He left me!" she sobbed. "He left me! What did I do wrong? Did he not like it here?"

Christine remained in her bed for the rest of the evening, wishing that Erik could stay just a little while longer.

**_A/N: I hoped you liked the chapter._**

_**Please review! It would be a nice birthday gift. My B-day's the 6th. The big 15! .  
-Jess-  
**_


	17. Chapter 17

**_A/N: Sorry it took so long to update. I want to dedicate this chapter to my sister, Nicole and my cousin, Kim. Happy Belated Birthday Kim. Happy Half Birthday, Nicole.  
It is September 30._**

Chapter 17 _  
_  
Christine roused from her sleep when she felt the weight of someone sitting on her bed. _'Erik,' _she thought hopefully. She looked up to see her father staring at her. Her heart dropped in realization of Erik's absence. She pushed the thought away in fear that she would start sobbing.

"Are you okay, Angel?" he asked with concern etched on his face. "You slept all day yesterday."

"I'm alright, Father," she lied. "Why didn't you wake me up yesterday?"

"I thought you may need the rest. You did look quite tired," he replied while running his fingers threw his dirty-blonde hair. "I made breakfast for you."

"Thank you. I will be right down," she informed him.

Gustav groaned as he stood up. "I'm not as young as I used to be," he chuckled. He exited the room slowly to allow Christine her privacy. Christine climbed out of her bed and shuffled to her dresser.

**XXX **

Gustav was sitting at the breakfast table, reading the paper. He paused to take a sip of his bitter coffee. Gustav heard the light footsteps of Christine coming down the stairs. He looked up from his paper to greet his daughter, but paused with a frown on his face.

She was dressed in a black dress, black shoes, and her black ribbon. Gustav would have laughed at this change of style, but the look on Christine's face made him think twice. She had a distant look on her face. As if she had lost something very dear to her.

"Christine, darling. What is the meaning of this?" he asked calmly. "Why the change in attitude? It looks as if someone has died."

"It feels like it," she replied, referring to his last statement.

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch that."

"Nothing," she mumbled. She decided not to answer his other questions.

She sat down in the seat across from her father and pocked at her food with her fork.

Gustav cleared his throat to grab Christine's attention. She looked up from her plate and stared at his light blue eyes.

"I want you to pack your bags today. We are going to be leaving tomorrow," he ordered.

She looked at him with wide eyes. "We're leaving tomorrow?" she echoed his statement. "Has it really been a week already?"

"I'm afraid it has, Angel."

Gustav turned back to reading the paper. "You may start packing when you are finished with your breakfast." he informed her without taking his eyes off the paper. Christine immediately started eating her warm roll.

In no more than five minutes she asked her father if she could be excused from the table.

"Yes, you may go," he replied. By time he looked up from his paper, she was gone. Gustav's laughter turned into a fit of coughs. He hastily grabbed his cup and finished the rest of his coffee. The coughs quickly disappeared, except for an occasional wheezing cough.

**XXX **

Christine started to pack all her favorite dresses and books. She picked up the drawing Erik had given her and placed it in her traveling case. She almost finished packing when she heard her father going into another coughing fit. The only thing different about this cough was that is was much louder then his normal coughs.

She stopped packing to listen. She hurried to the door as she heard a tinkle of broken glass. The coughing stopped.

"Father... Father!" she called. She ran down stairs as fear gripped her insides. Christine screamed when she saw her father's unconscious body on the floor. He was lying on his back with his hand clutching his blood-spotted handkerchief.

**_A/N: Lookie here... a cliffie.  
I hope you all liked this chapter. Please review.  
-Jess-  
_**


	18. Chapter 18

_**A/N: Yes, yes. I know. Some of you really want to kill me right now. I'm sorry. Every now and then I need a cliffie.**_

_**mikabronxgirl- Yes, Erik is impatient on finding out if Christine loves him. I know Christine is 8, but there is nothing written in stone that 8 year olds can't love other boys. I know that I have had a lot of boy crushes, maybe even more then a crush. And I know Christine coming down for breakfast in a black dress is weird, but Christine can be dramatic sometimes.**_

_**Thanks to: tink20, Gerardphantomhot, Twinkle22, Opera Dove, mikabronxgirl, Lotte Rose 37, Erik's Secret Admirer, ErikMySweet, Christine06, Morte Rouge, and siriuslyaphanatic for reviewing. It means a lot to me. .**_

**Chapter 18 **

Christine rushed to her father's side, blinded by the hot tears that were streaming down her face.

"Father! Father! Father!" she screamed, shaking his limp body, "Please be alright," she begged.

Christine couldn't help but think about Erik. 'If he were only here.' she thought bitterly. Her thoughts suddenly returned to her father.

"Hold on, Father, I'll get help."

Christine ran out of the house as quickly as her little legs would carry her.

**XXX**

"Please! Somebody help me!" Christine cried frantically. She was begging anyone who would listen to her in the town's town square. Her tears mingled with the cold rain that was coming down in torrents.

"Anybody...please...help," her words were muffled in the rain. Christine was about to give up hope when she spotted, Bernard, her father's friend. She ran up to him and tugged on his coat.

"Christine, what are you doing out here?" he paused. "Where is your father?"

"Please come with me. Father collapsed on the floor this morning. You have to help me please!" she begged.

"We have no time to loose," he mumbled as the truth sunk in. He held her hand and led her to a house accross the street.

"Where are we going? I- I... thought we were going home," she stammered. "He needs our help."

Bernard did not say a word. They stopped in front of the small house. He raised his fist and pounded on the door three times. They heard a rustling behind the door.

"Alright! Alright! I'm coming," a deep voice answered behind the door. A portly man with glasses answered the door. "What's the trouble, Bernard?" he questioned as he looked from Bernard to Christine.

"There's no time to explain. We need you to come with us. Bring your  
supplies. Hurry," Bernard replied.

Christine and Bernard waited for the man to get his coat and case of his doctor's supplies. Bernard picked Christine up so that she would not fall behind. He flagged down the nearest carriage and settled himself and Christine into the carriage. The man stepped in shortly after.

"Gustav has collapsed, Dr. Rioux," he explained softly, glancing at Christine.

**XXX**

The carriage pulled up in front of Christine's house. Bernard paid the hansome quickly and ran into the house with Dr. Rioux and Christine on his heels. Bernard's face turned pale as soon as he saw Gustav laying on the floor.

"Bernard, help me bring him to his room," Dr. Rioux said under his breath. As soon as they got Christine's father in his bedroom Dr. Rioux informed them to stay out of the room until he was finished inspecting Gustav.

"But I want to be with Father," Christine sobbed into her hands.

"I know you do. I would like to see him as well," Bernard replied.

"Why can't I be in the room with him?" she asked.

"He might have tuberculosis. It is a very contagious disease. We don't want you to catch it," he explained.

"I don't care. I want to see him now!" she yelled as she stomped her foot on the ground childishly.

"Christine, please. I know how you feel-,"he started, but she interrupted him.

"No you don't! No you don't!" she screamed as more tears came down her face. "If he dies, I will have no one. Now that Mother-," her throat constricted in pain. Christine sobbed harder than ever and crumpled into a sobbing heap near the door. Bernard put his hand on her back as he tried to fight back his own tears. It was useless. Bernard felt the hot tears running down his face.

Christine soon fell asleep from the exhaustion the day had brought her.

Bernard placed her in her bed and gently tucked her in.

**XXX**

Dr. Rioux shuffled sleepily out of the room after what seemed like day's worth of time spent in the room.

Bernard looked up at him, from his post in the chair. "Well?" he asked impatiently.

"He does not have tuberculosis as I thought," he informed Bernard.

"Then what happened? Is he going to be okay?" he asked. Dr. Rioux shook his head, 'no'. "He has lung cancer. There is no cure. I'm sorry, Bernard."

"How long does he have-?" his voice cracked.

"I don't know. Days..., weeks...,months... I don't know."

Bernard rested his face in his hands.

"You may see him now, though he is still unconscious," he permitted.

Bernard walked to Christine's room. He shook her sleeping form until she opened her eyes.

"You may see him now," he informed Christine.

_**A/N: Well I hope you are all happy now. I'm sorry this update took longer then I expected. I dug myself a hole that I couldn't get out of. But I worked it all out.**_

_**Please Review! I want to know what you thought of this.  
**_


	19. Chapter 19

_**A/N: Yay! I finally saw the Broadway play of Phantom of the Opera. At the end of the show I saw the cast coming out of a side door. I wanted to say, "good job," but I didn't want to bother them. Oh well. That's me. A once in a lifetime opportunity and I blow it.**_

_**Okay, some of you might wonder who Bernard is. He is not Raoul's father. He is one of Gustav's friend from childhood. I realized that in the 3rd chapter I spelt Bernard's name: B.E.N.A.R.D. Benard from chapter 3 and the Bernard in the last chapter are the same character. From now on, I'm spelling his name B.E.R.N.A.R.D. If I ever mess up with the two different names, just know that it's the same character. --**_

**_A special thanks to: Amita, Mademoiselle Fleur Augereau, Morte Rouge, tink20, Jamea, Mary Anne Talbot, siriuslyaphanatic, ErikMySweet, Opera Dove, the Mouse in the Opera House, Gerardphantomhot, and Twinkle22 for reviewing. I love you all. ._**

_**I would like to dedicate this chapter to my best friend, Ashley. Happy 15th Birthday Girl! I love you. . You were the one who told me I must see the Phantom of the Opera. **_

_**And now for the story...**_

**Chapter 19**

Bernard swiftly walked into the dimly lit bed room, followed closely by Christine. He stopped at the foot of Gustav's bed, while Christine stood by her father's side. Gustav gased up at her, his features looking old from his exhaustion.

"Oh, Father," her voice filled with sorrow. Christine collapsed on her father's chest. Her body shook from her sobs.

"Shhh. I will never leave you, Angel," he assured her, stroking her long chocolate curls. "Never," he repeated.

"Father, are you going to get better?" Christine asked, looking up at him with tears glistening in her eyes. "I'm afraid not," he replied, fighting back his own tears.

"You not going to-," her voice trailed off. "You can't!" she ordered.

"Christine, I can not live forever," he explained softly.

"I thought you said you'd never leave me," she retorted.

"Should I die, Christine, I will watch over you form heaven," Gustav closed his eyes.

"I don't want you to go," she sobbed. Christine couldn't bring herself to say the word "die", for it sounded final.

"I know you don't."

"I want to listen to your stories, sing to your music-," she paused. "I want you to tuck me in every night. Please don't go. I want to be with you in person," Christine sobbed harder.

Hot tears rolled down Gustav's cheek as he held Christine close in his arms.

Gustav breathed in deeply and replied, "When I'm in heaven, Child, I will send you the Angel of Music."

"But, Father, I want you to come to me," she begged.

"Both the Angel of Music and I will be looking after you," he replied sleepily. I, in spirit, and the Angel of Music, in person," he explained trying to take Christine's mind off his sickness.

"Father? I thought angels were like ghosts; you can see right threw them," she unsurely replied. "Angels look like you and me. They are not transparent, otherwise they wouldn't be able to save us. Right after an angel saves a human, they disappear into thin air," Gustav explained.

"Father, how do you know so much about angels?" Christine asked.

Gustav studied her for a minute and replied, "I think I have seen one, besides your mother and yourself." He kissed her forehead lightly.

Christine giggled and curled up closer to her father. "Tell me what happened," she demanded.

"When I was a young boy, around your age, my house had caught on fire," Gustav paused, trying to remember what happened. "My father's cigar must have fallen on the couch," he mumbled.

"My father and my mother made it out of the house safely," he continued. "My parents thought that I was still at Bernard's house that evening, but the fact was I came home early that day.

"I was upstairs in my room at the time. When I smelt the smoke I immediately opened the door to see what was wrong. The fire blocked my exit to the stairs. I must have passed out on the floor for I remember someone calling me to wake up. When I looked up I saw a man with peircing blue eyes, holding me in his arms. It was then that I realized that I was out of the blazing inferno. The man placed me on the cool grass as my parents spotted me. I looked at my frantic parents for no more then a minute, and by time I looked back to thank the man who saved my life, he was gone," he finished.

Gustav looked down at Christine's sleepy eyes.

"I think you need to go to bed," he ordered. "You've had a long day."

"I want to stay with you," she yawned.

"Bernard and I will be talking, Angel. It might keep you up."

"I don't care. I can fall asleep with you talking."

"Alright, Christine, you can stay here," he replied.

**XXX**

"Has the Dr. Rioux told you what is wrong?" Bernard asked.

"Yes, he has filled me in," Gustav replied.

"I guess you will have to cancel your trip to Paris."

Gustav sighed disappointedly. "I would've liked to have seen it with Christine. Just to see the look on her face when she enters the Opera House."

"Have you decided who will take care of Christine?" Bernard asked.

Gustav raked his fingers threw his short blonde hair. "I shall have Madam Giry take Christine to her home at the Opera House. After all, she is family."

_**A/N: I hoped you all liked the new chapter. I was working on it in my cousin, Kim's, bio class. I think bio is boring. .**_

_**Please review! Depending on how many reviews I get, I might just post my next chapter up sooner then usual. And I might just put Erik in the next chapter.  
**_


	20. Chapter 20

_**A/N: I'm sorry for not updating sooner then this. My fan fiction site wasn't working.**_

_**Oh, I figured out how to make the correct "e" in Daaé. Press Alt while typing in 0233 I just thought I'd let you all know. .**_

_**Now I will make all of you Erik fans very happy, cuz I'm going to start out the chapter with him. I think you've waited long enough. I didn't think I would go that long without Erik. I love him, and I think he is the best.**_

**_Thanks for all the reviews: Scarletguillraven, GIGGLE WOMAN, gerlorie, Morte Rouge, Phantomfan220891, Erik's Secret Admirer, Leli1013, Twinkle22, whatakick, Mademoiselle Fleur Augereau, the Mouse in the Opera House, Gerardphantomhot, ErikMySweet, siriuslyaphanatic, and tink20._**

**Chapter 20 **

Erik sat shivering in the storage room of a cargo ship with his knees tucked under his chin and his arms hugging his legs. It had been a day on this boat that was headed towards the Paris docks.

Erik's stomach rumbled, begging for some food. He couldn't last much longer if he didn't get some food in him. _'Surly this boat has food on it,' _he thought. He stood up walking unsteadily due to the constant rocking of the boat. He soon adapted to the rocking and glided to the ramp. Without a sound he walked up the ramp until he reached the door. He put his ear up against it and listened. There was no sign of anyone on the other side. He slipped through the door. He was hit by the aroma of soup as he crept into the room.

He creped into the kitchen. He peered into a pot half full with leftover chicken soup. He removed his mask. His mouth started to water as he brought the cool rim of the pot to his lips. He swallowed the room temperature soup greedily. In a matter of minutes he was finished and fit to burst. He wiped the mess on his face with his sleeve and placed the burlap sack on his face.

He returned to storage room slowly. He plopped down next to a wooden crate and propped his back up against it. He rubbed his full belly while pondering about Christine._ 'I hope she is okay. I do miss her. But she will come to me. I will see her in a few days at the Opera House,' he thought while smiling to himself. 'While waiting for her I will build my home below the Opera House.'_

His eyelids drooped as he drifted off to sleep.

**XXX **

After a few days wait, Erik felt the boat lose speed. _'At last, I will get off this infernal boat,'_ he thought with relief. The door to the knob in the room turned and slowly opened. Erik picked up his bag of belongings and hid behind a crate. A well-built man came down the ramp pushing a cart followed by a second man," The men walked toward Erik's hiding spot.

"Markus, help me pick up this crate over here," the obese man called to the other, pointing to the box next to Erik.

Erik kept to the shadows and quickly glided to the next crate that was closer to the door.

"Hey, you boy! What are you doing down here?" Markus yelled.

Erik's heart skipped a beat. He sprinted to the door.

"You're not getting away so easily, boy!" the heavy man yelled. "You go after him, Markus. He is the little thief that has been stealing our food. He may have stolen some of our goods."

"Don't worry, Staffan, I'll get the little bastard," Markus hissed.

**XXX**

The boat came to an abrupt stop at the dock.

Erik's lungs felt like they were about to burst, but he still pressed on. He soon heard the thundering footsteps of Markus following in hot pursuit. Erik picked up his speed. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted the exit and belted towards it. He made it onto the dock and ran as fast as his legs would carry him towards the city.

Markus followed the boy. "When I catch you, there will be hell to pay!" he yelled to Erik.

Erik looked back to see the man gaining on him. He had to reach the city and lose him there.

"Thief! Thief!" Markus yelled into the night. A few officers looked up to see what the commotion was about. "Thief! Thief! The one with the mask!" Markus bellowed.

The officers saw the masked boy that Markus was chasing. They mounted their horses and followed Markus.

Erik heard a galloping horses quickly closing in on him. He made a sharp turn down a dark ally, thus loosing the horses. 'Now to shake off that idiot, Markus,' he thought.

As Erik sprinted into the nearest building he could find, he bumped into a soft object.

"Uff."

Erik scuttled away before the person could see him.

"Who's there?" a women's voice called.

Erik hid behind a church pew. He knew that his racing heart and heavy breathing would give away his hiding spot.

The women walked closer to Erik._ 'Obviously she will find me. I might as well ask her for help. She looks harmless,' _he thought.

_'Ah, but she might be like everyone else. She may be like mother. Looks harmless, but cruel and heartless.' _his mind yelled back.

_'What have I got to loose. I need to find the Opera House. If I don't, I will never see Christine again.' _he retorted.

Erik stood so that the woman could see him. Erik studied the women as she studied him. The women was dressed from head to toe in black. Her dark red hair that was tightly braided ran down her back. She looked as if she were in her mid thirties.

"I need your help," Erik said without a trace of weakness in his voice. Tell me where the Paris Opera House is," he commanded.

"Why do you need to know?" she asked.

"I need a place to stay," he confessed. _'Why did I tell her. She can not be trusted,' _he told himself silently._ 'Well, she already knows what I look like. Damn, I might as well tell her my life story,' _he mused.

"The Opera House is not a hotel," she laughed.

"I have no time for jokes, Madame." he hissed.

"Please, call me Antoinette."

"I am in no mood to play game either," he growled. He clenched his fists into a tight ball.

"And why are you so impatient to know?" she asked calmly.

"If you must know, I am being followed. Now will you tell me were the Opera House is?" he replied impatiently.

"Did you break the law?" she questioned.

"Not really. I was hungry and there was no other place to get food," he replied.

Antoinette studied him for a minute.

"Come with me and I will take you to the Opera House."

_**A/N: Antoinette is Madame Giry for those of you who don't know.**_

_**Please review. **_

_**-Jess-  
**_


	21. Chapter 21

_**A/N: Hey everyone! I'm sorry I haven't been updating as often as I should. I just came up with a new plot twist a while ago and I needed think of a way to fit it into the story. . I want to keep you on your toes. **_

_**OOoooo! Who saw x men 3? OMG! Logan was so hot... cough **_

_**Last we left off, Erik bumped into Madame Giry and is now living in the Opera House. Christine is with her father who is a bit under the weather. **_

_**This whole chapter is on Erik. I will continue with Christine in the next chapter.**_

_**And now for the story…**_

**Chapter 21**

Erik looked up in awe at the magnificent Paris Opera House, ignoring Antoinette's impatient gaze.

"I thought you were in a hurry to find shelter," she tapped her foot on the cold cobblestone street.

"Don't rush me, woman!" Erik hissed. He tore his eyes from the building at looked at her. "Is there anyone in there?" he referred to the building. "I'd rather not be seen."

"The Opera House is closed today. There will be very few people here," she replied quietly. "You will be staying-"

Erik cut her off, "I know my way around here," he snapped.

"How would you know?" she asked.

"Because I've studied the blueprints," he replied flatly. Erik glided past her without sound.

**XXX**

Erik traveled though the dark corridors of the opera house looking for the storage closet. He spotted the door he was looking for and opened the door slowly, checking to see if there was anyone inside. When he saw that it was deserted, he stepped inside the large room.

His golden eyes quickly adjusted to the dark room. The room was filled with old stage props, a few brooms, and costumes. He walked toward a door that was at the far end of the room. He gripped the cold door knob in his hand and turned it. The door creaked shut as he closed it behind him, leaving him in total darkness. **_(A/N: Erik might want to WD 40 the door.)_**

He went back to the room to find a candle and matches. By a stroke of luck, Erik found that a stagehand had left them sitting on a table. He set back to investigate the dark room, hoping to find what he was looking for.

As he made his way farther into the tunnel, the ground beneath him changed from concrete to cobblestones. The smoothed walls became rougher, turning rocky as the path started to decline.

Erik was walking for nearly an hour. '_I should be nearly there,'_ he thought to himself. His keen ears picked up the soft dripping of water from the ceiling and he quickened his pace. He stopped short, feeling that his feet were now wet. _'At last I found the underground lake. I shall start building my home as soon as I can.'_

**XXX**

The next morning, just before dawn, Erik went to the marketplace to steal some supplies for his new home.

He returned to the storage room in the opera house with his arms full of supplies. He emptied the contents onto the floor, looking over what he had just stolen. He had some wood and some kerosene that he would use for a torch, boards of wood, a hammer, and nails to make a boat, and some more candles. **_(A/N: He needs A LOT of candles. .) _**

He headed down to the lake to start his work.

**XXX**

The month has passed so quickly that Erik wasn't aware of the date. He had been busy building his new house under the Paris Opera House.

He had managed to build his boat and clear the rock from the other side of the lake, to make way for his house. He couldn't have done it all if it weren't for his skills at not being seen while he stole dynamite and tools.

He had decided to build his house first before he made his trap doors and mazes in the tunnel for possible intruders.

**XXX **

Three months had passed when Erik had finally finished his house. It contained two bedrooms, a bathroom, a kitchen, a living room, and a music room. He made a spare bedroom in hopes that Christine would one day inhabit it.

He had very few items in the house, but he had enough to survive with. Most of the items in the house were from the old props in the storage room.

His chief prize from his rummaging in the storage rooms, was a broken organ that he had stumbled upon. He brought the broken-down pieces to his house to restore it. **_(A/N: I think he is going to need a really big boat. How about a ship, Erik? lol) _**It was easily fixed in a matter of hours. He stepped back to admire his work.

It was gorgeous. The paint was a glistening black and the towering silver pipes were shining under the soft candle light. He couldn't figure out why someone would throw something this beautiful in the trash.

In his spare time he had even made a new mask. He couldn't breathe well and he would get very hot with the burlap sack on his head. He replaced it with a white porcelain mask that covered the right side of his face.

Although Erik was very busy making his home, he ate on a regular basis. He only ate for the sake of staying alive. He would take the food from the marketplace or in the kitchens of the opera house. Many of the cooks in the opera house noticed their food was disappearing, so they blamed it on the ghost.

The opera house had come up with the ghost before they realized that there food has been missing. The people would overhear occasional explosions and feel the ground beneath them shake. Little did they know; it was the dynamite that was going off beneath the opera house. Men were sent out to find the source of the noise, but the only way down to the cellars of the opera house was blocked by a six foot mirror. The men tried pushing the mirror aside. The mirror wouldn't budge so they abandoned the search.

The rumors had spread around the opera house like wild fire. It was then that the Opera Ghost was born.

Erik would spend some time in box five looking at the ballet rats practicing their dances with the help of their strict teacher Madame Giry.

One day while watching the ballet rats, one of the background scenes fell at random.

The stage was filled with screaming girls. When the girls settled down, a little red head commented that the Opera Ghost might have done it. Some of the girls argued that the Opera Ghost only stole food, but the majority said that they saw him drop the background scene.

Erik mused at this. The whole opera house thought _he _was a ghost. _'I guess I could play the roll.' _He let out a deep laugh.

The ballet rats looked up at the noise. "It's the ghost!" a girl shrieked. Some girls gasped in horror.

"Girls. GIRLS!" Madame Giry shouted above the voices. "If this class is interrupted one more time, you all will have to spend an extra hour dancing."

Erik smiled and left box five. He headed toward his home to start building trap doors and secret passageways.

**XXX**

Erik woke in a cold sweat. He kept seeing a little brunette sobbing in a dimly lit room. _'Christine…'_

When he calmed down he started to wonder where Christine was. _'She said she would come. It's been nearly four months, and I haven't seen her since.' _

_'She lied to you,' _his mind argued.

_'She couldn't have. She's my friend,' _he replied back

_'You really think she could stand to be your friend. YOU ARE A MONSTER!' _his mind yelled back.

Erik's inner battle lasted for an hour. He decided to play the organ to drain out the thoughts.

**XXX**

_(A year since Erik moved into the Paris Opera House)_

As time past, Erik's feelings for Christine had begun to turn bitter. He now believed that Christine had lied to him on purpose to make a fool out of him.

His began to block out every emotion except his anger. His heart became as cold as ice.

_**A/N: I hope you all like the chapter.**_

**_Oh, and Erik was 13 at the beginning of the chapter and is now 14. I know before that I mentioned that he was 12 somewhere, but there I think I said that he looked 12 Next chapter, Christine will be 9._**

_**PLEASE REVIEW!**_


	22. Chapter 22

_**A/N: This chapter is mostly going to be on Christine. I know for last chapter, I didn't update in a while and I'm sorry about that. No, I will not abandon this story. I worked too hard to just give up. **_

**_Oh, I just started reading a really good series called Cirque du Freak. I love the books. I just though you might like to read it. They are going to make it into a movie next year, but the film is going to be all 12 books in one movie. You might want to read the series before you watch the movie, otherwise you might get lost. . _**

_**It has been a year and a half since Gustave became ill.**_

**Chapter 22**

Some days were better then others for Gustave. His health was seesawing from bad to worse.

"Bernard, I think it is time to send for Madame Giry. She needs to be here when I die," Gustave whispered, trying not to wake daughter that was sleeping next to him.

"Of course. I'll write to her now," Bernard replied.

_Madame Giry, _

_Gustave Daaé asks for your presence at his home. He is in poor health and is in need of a guardian for his daughter, Christine. Please come immediately. _

_-Bernard-_

Bernard sent the letter as soon as he had written it.

XXX

_(three weeks later)_

Bernard woke sharply at the sound of someone knocking at the front door. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and shuffled to the door. He opened it to see a tall man with blonde hair and piercing blue eyes.

"Yes?" Bernard asked groggily.

"I am here to speck with Gustave Daaé. It is a matter of business," the man informed in a bossy tone.

"And who might you be?" Bernard asked impolitely.

"I am the Comte de Chagny. I am also known as Adrian," he replied while puffing out his chest. "Now let me through," he pushed passed Bernard.

Bernard scowled at Adrian as he closed the door. "Right this way Comte de Chagny," he bowed sarcastically.

Bernard led Adrian to Gustave's room without another word.

When they walked into the room Gustave sat up in bed to get a better look at the visitor.

"Ah, de Chagny. What business brings you here?" Gustave asked softly.

Adrian turned his gaze to the bed were Christine sat. Gustave followed his gaze.

"Christine, why don't you go outside for a while, while father talks to the Comte," Gustave offered.

"Can't I stay here?" she asked innocently.

"This conversation will be boring. Besides, you haven't been outside for nearly two weeks. Go on, angel."

"Okay, Father," she gave him a kiss on his cheek before she left the room.

XXX

Christine sat on the tree swing, waiting for the grown-ups to finish talking. As she started swinging, she prayed that her father would get better.

In the distance Christine saw a carriage racing toward her.

The carriage stopped in front of the house and a woman, dressed in black with had her dark red hair tied up in a bun, walked out. She stopped at the front door and knocked.

Christine grew curious as the woman walked in. _'Why is she here?'_ Christine pondered.

_**A/N: Okay, for all the people who don't review: PLEASE REVIEW. (I'm still talking to my faithful readers too .) Don't be shy. I want to hear your opinions. Pretty please. **_

_**REMEMBER: The more reviews I get, the faster the next chapter will be posted.**_


	23. Chapter 23

_**A/N: Thank you all for the reviews.**_

**Chapter 23**

"I am here to ask-"Adrian stared, but was cut off by a knock at the door.

"Bernard, could you get that, please?" Gustave asked.

Bernard nodded and headed toward the front door a second time. He opened the door to see a tired but worried, Madame Giry.

"Take me to him," she ordered.

XXX

Madame Giry walked into Gustave's room followed by Bernard. Bernard placed Madame Giry's black traveling coat on the back of a vacant chair.

"I came as soon as I heard," Madame Giry informed Gustave as she pushed her long red hair over her sholder. She ignored Adrian's scowl. She figured that she had interrupted his conversation with Gustave.

"Excuse me Madame, but do you know who _I _am?" Adrian asked rudely interrupting her.

"Why? Did you forget your name?" she replied without hesitation. Bernard tried to cover stifle his laughter, but failed when a small chuckle escape his lips.

Adrian sputtered in rage. "I am the Comte de Chagny," he replied coldly.

Madame Giry ignored him.

"Excuse me, but I was talking first to Gustave. It is a matter of business that is rather important," he informed her.

She glared at Adrian. "You better make it quick," she snapped. _'The faster he talks to Gustave, the faster he'll get out of here.' _she thought. She turned to Bernard and made light conversation with him.

Adrian turned to Gustave. "As I was saying," he cleared his throat, "I would appreciate it if you gave my son your blessings in marrying your daughter."

The room went deathly silent. Gustave raised his eyebrow.

Madame Giry was the first to speak up. "The reason why I came here was so that I could take Christine home with me. Yes, Gustave, I know why you brought me here," she informed him when he had a _how did you know _look on his face. "I am, after all, her guardian and I will not have this pig of a man take care of her," she snapped.

"Why do you assume that you are her guardian?" Adrian hissed.

"I am her godmother and I am also a relative. I am her mother's cousin," she stated proudly.

"Humph!"

"Stop it, you two," Gustave said sternly. "I have made a decision. When Christine is of proper age of marriage, she will marry Raoul. For now, she will be going to France with Antoinette. Now, Chagny, you may leave. I must speak with Antionette," he added.

Adrian left without another word, leaving Madame Giry, Gustave, and Bernard alone.

"Why do you want Christine to marry the Chagny boy?" Bernard asked.

"She seems to get along with him better then any other friend of hers. Besides, I know what that boy is like. He will take care of my Christine when she is a woman," he explained.

"What if she is not happy with your decision?" Madame Giry asked Gustave.

"I shall make it clear to the Comte that my daughter will marry his son when she is twenty," he replied. "_But_, before that, she may find a suitor. If she finds a suitor before she is twenty, she does not have to marry Chagny."

The room became silent until Gustave added, "I don't want this mentioned to Christine, yet. I don't want her to be worried about marriage as of now." Madame Giry and Bernard nodded.

_**A/N: Please review! **_

**_Dove of Night's question to me is: Does Gustave have a reason for his bargain that will be revealed later?_**

_**Answer: Basically, Gustave wants Christine to be married by the time she is 20, to make sure she is (in a sense) safe with a husband. **_

_**He wants to die knowing that she will be safe with the husband of choice or Raoul. He knows that Raoul has a lot of money to make Christine's life comfy.**_

_**It's just a father's concern about their daughter's safety.**_

_**I also thank everyone for the reviews. I love hearing form you all.**_


	24. Chapter 24

_**A/N: Thanks for the reviews.**_

**Chapter 24**

_(A week has pasted since Adrian de Chagny's visit)_

The sky became dark as the thunderhead clouds rolled that early evening. Christine was in her room taking a nap while Bernard and Madame Giry were in the living room, talking to each other.

"Did you talk to the Comte about Gustave's wishes are with Christine?" Bernard asked Madame Giry. Madame Giry placed her cup of mint tea on the table.

"Yes, but he isn't happy about Christine being able to marry anyone she wishes before she is twenty," she laughed.

"I didn't think he would be," he chuckled. "Why do you think the Comte is interested in his son marrying Christine?" he asked frowning.

Madame Giry's face became serious. She looked away from Bernard.

Bernard noticed her sudden change of attitude. "Madame? Are you alright?" he asked concerned.

Madame Giry's eyes snapped back on him. "Yes," she replied quietly.

"You know the answer, don't you?" he asked her. He moved forward in his seat so that he was sitting at the edge.

Madame Giry sighed. "I might as well tell you but, you must promise me that you won't tell anyone," she replied firmly.

"I won't tell anyone, Madame," he promised.

"Please call me Antoinette," she sighed.

Madame Giry got up from her chair and walked slowly to the window and watched the rain run down the window. She took a deep breath and stared, "Christine's mother, Nicole, had some royal blood in her. Not enough to rule, just enough to turn the heads of the Chagny family. I suppose what they like about Christine is that her family is rich. She will inherit a vast amount of money from her mother when she gets married. The Chagny's are always interested in getting their greedy hands on as much money as they can."

"Why aren't Christine and Gustave living in a mansion if they are so wealthy?" Bernard asked.

"Christine's mother wants a man to marry Christine for love, not for money," she replied. "Gustave doesn't know about the family fortune. Nicole died before she had a chance to tell him about it." **_(A/N: Nicole is Christine's mother)_**

"Why didn't she tell Gustave about the money after they were married?" he asked.

"Gustave and Nicole knew each other for two years before they married. She became pregnant during those two years. When she found out she was pregnant with Christine, she told Gustave and he proposed to her," Madame Giry explained.

"She could've given the money to Gustave in her will," Bernard replied.

"She could have, but she chose not to. I don't know why. That is something that has been taken to her grave, never to be answered," she sighed. Her breath created a small patch of fog on the window.

She turned around to look back at him.

"I will go upstairs to check on Gustave," she informed Bernard. She treaded to the stairs and stopped at the foot of them. She turned around to look at him once more. "Not a word to Gustave or Christine about this."

"Of course."

Madame Giry nodded sharply and climbed the stairs.

XXX

Madame Giry reached Gustave's door. She lightly knocked on the wooden door twice and paused, waiting for an answer. There was silence on the other side of the door, so she walked into the room.

"Gustave?" she called.

She gasped when she saw Gustave's still form lying on the floor.

**_A/N: I hope you liked the chapter. I will post the next chapter sooner then usual if you send a review. I'm talking to the people who read this story, but don't review much. I wanna hear from you people too. puppy dog eyes ._**

_**I was going to have the name Elizabeth, be Christine's mother's name. I then realized that it wasn't a French name so I changed it to Nicole. .**_

_**PLEASE REVIEW:D**_


	25. Chapter 25

**_A/N: Thank you all for the reviews. I appreciate them. _**

**_YAY! I went on Kinda Ka, Nitro, and El Toro, at. Those are the best rollercoasters at Six Flags._**

**_At King's Dominion I went on the Drop Zone which is the best ride I've ever went on that wasn't a rollercoaster. For rollercoasters I loved the Italian Job and the Anaconda. I wanted to go on the Outer Limits, but I think they took it down. _**

**_For those who have never gone on a rollercoaster, you should try it. It's really fun. You don't know what it's like, till you try it._**

**_Now, on with the story_**

**Chapter 25**

"Bernard! Send for the doctor, quick!" Madame Giry ordered while trying to keep herself calm.

"What is wrong?" he called to her.

"Don't ask questions! Just go!" she yelled back at him.

Bernard didn't need telling twice. Madame Giry heard the front door snap shut. She then heard the pitter-patter of little feet running to her.

"What is wrong?" Christine asked Madame Giry.

'_The poor girl is trembling.'_ Madame Giry thought to herself. _'I better keep calm to keep Christine calm as well.'_

"Your father has fallen out of bed. I'm sure he is going to be just fine, Madame Giry explained," not believing what she had just said.

She couldn't pick Gustave up from the floor on her own, so she checked to see if he was alive. His breathing was shallow and his pulse was faint. She checked his head and arms for cuts, but there were none.

Christine's sobs distracted her from checking on Gustave's health. She could see Christine's tears streak down her face.

She then heard the front door burst open and slam shut. Hurried steps came up the stairs. She looked up to see Doctor Rioux and Bernard bustling in the room. They quickly picked up Gustave from the floor and placed him onto his bed.

Madame Giry picked up Christine, as if she were her own daughter, and went to Christine's bedroom. She sat on her bed with Christine in her arms. She was sobbing and clutching Madame Giry close to her.

"He's going to-," Christine cried harder before she could finish her question.

"Shhh. We will find out soon. Just calm down," Madame Giry soothed. She rocked Christine in her arms until her sobs died and her breathing became slow and even with sleep.

Madame Giry placed her hand on her right cheek only to realize that it was damp with her own tears. Christine's sobs had reminded her of herself when her husband Perry died. It felt like the world was closing in on her and there was no way out. A soft sob passed her lips as her tears flowed freely.

"I know how you feel, Christine," she said between sobs.

Her thoughts turned immediately to her best friend, Gustave. The day Gustave proposed to Nicole, the day of Gustave and Nicole's wedding, the day Gustave first held Christine.

"_Gustave is like a brother to me. Please, God, don't take him away from _

_Christine and me," _she prayed desperately to herself.

**XXX**

Madame Giry woke at the sound of the doorknob turning. The door creaked open and Dr. Rioux took a step into the room. "You may see Gustave now."

Madame Giry found she couldn't move her numb legs due to the weight of

Christine on top of them for nearly two hours.

"Would you please take Christine to see her father for me?" she asked Dr. Rioux.

"Yes," he nodded. He picked up the sleeping Christine and walked out of the room.

Madame Giry sat on the bed for five minutes until she stood up. She hissed as she felt the sensation of prickling needles in her feet. She paced the room to circulate the blood to her legs.

She slowly made her way toward Gustave's bedroom to possibly say her last farewell.

All was silent in the bedroom except the occasional sniffle from Christine.

"_Is this our farewell?"_ Christine sang quietly in her beautiful soprano pitch.

Silent tears rolled down Christine's pale cheeks. "Why are you leaving me now? Why can't you stay longer? Just a little while longer? That is all I ask," she whispered to her father. She snuggled up closer to him on the bed.

"It is my time, angel. If I had the power to stay physically with you, I would without hesitation," Gustave said brokenly. "I love you more then anything in the world. Nothing can change that." He wrapped his arms around her as tightly as he could, for his strength was leaving him.

For the first time since his wife, Nicole, died he cried. He did not fight back these tears for he had a good reason to cry.

No more singing lessons…

No more dark stories of the north…

No more music…

No more walks on the beach…

No more warm hugs and sweet kisses…

No more Christine? His angel…

No more…

No more…

"Take care of her, Madame Giry. Love her as your own. Bury me in Paris where I will be close to my daughter whenever she may need me," Gustave instructed. "Good-bye, good friend."

"I will take care of her and will take you to Paris. I will make sure of it," Madame Giry sniffed. She wiped her eyes with her white handkerchief. "Good-bye, Gustave."

"Bernard, my old friend, will you please assist Madame Giry and Christine to Paris? Make sure they arrive safely, please," Gustave asked. His voice growing more quiet by the minute.

"Of course," Bernard promised.

Gustave turned to his daughter's small form, laying next to him on the firm bed.

Christine looked up at him with her glassy eyes in silence.

"I will always be with you," Gustave whispered. "Whenever you need me, I will be there for you. You will never be alone, for I will send the Angel of Music to comfort you and protect you while my physical being is gone, but I will be there in spirit," Gustave repeated finding it difficult to talk threw his tears and the eternal sleep that was setting in quickly.

"Oh Father," Christine sobbed.

Gustave gave her the biggest smile he could muster.

He took a deep breath and whispered his last words, "I love you Christine. You look so much like your mother," he smiled weakly.

"I love you too, Father," Christine sobbed.

He weekly brushed his thumb across Christine's cheek. His head lightly sunk onto the pillow as he took his last breath. He closed his baby-blue eyes and passed on.

"No!" Christine whaled. "Papa!"

Madame Giry swiftly walked to the bed where Christine was curled up into a ball, sobbing. She placed her hand gently on her back and rubbed her.

Christine shrugged Madame Giry's hand off her back.

"Leave me alone!" Christine screamed into her small arms that her face was buried into.

Madame Giry quickly withdrew her hand as if she were bitten by a snake. She looked at Dr. Rioux and then to Bernard, signaling with her eyes that they had to leave the room.

They all left the room silently and made there way downstairs to the living room gloomily.

XXX

Christine felt as if her prayers have fallen upon deaf ears. _'There must not be a god. Nothing that I'd pleaded for has come true,' _she thought.

'_But Father has spoken of an angel that saved his life,' _her mind retorted._ 'If that angel hadn't saved him, he would've died long ago. Maybe there is a god. The angel would've never come to save Father if God had not told the angel to do so._

_Besides, if I don't believe in God, there is no Angel of Music. The Angel of Music might just be the only thing that will keep me going,'_ she thought, knowing that she must keep going.

Christine cuddled up closer to her father's motionless body. Her thoughts were only on being close next to her father for as long as she could.

**XXX**

"Thank you, Doctor, for everything. You may leave now," she ordered, handing him some money for his services.

After Dr. Rioux closed the door, Madame Giry immediately broke out in tears. "I will miss Gustave," she sobbed.

Bernard swiftly took a step forward so that he was mere inches from her. He wrapped his large arms around her. Her body stiffened at his gesture, but after a minute she relaxed in his embrace. She buried her face into his shoulder.

"I will miss him too," Bernard replied quietly

"If it is not to bold of me to ask, will you please stay with me in Paris?" she asked him. She knew that it was wrong of her to accept the comfort of another man besides her husband, Perry, but she needed Bernard at that moment.

Bernard looked down into her face. "I shall if you wish it," he replied.

Madame Giry smiled lightly and Bernard returned the gesture.

**_A/N: I hoped you liked this chapter. I know most of you will be very angry with me because I didn't keep Gustave in the story. Please forgive me. I am not up for any flamers._**

**_By the way, "Is This Our Farewell" is a song by Within Temptation. If you haven't listened to her music, go and download the song (or any other songs by her) and listen to them. You may come to love it._**

**_When Christine sings the song, she only sings: "Is this our farewell". She doesn't sing the whole song. _**

**PLEASE REVIEW!**


	26. Chapter 26

**_A/N: I am so sorry that it has taken me this long to update my story, but a lot of stuff came up. You are lucky I'm paralyzed from my hips down due to volleyball exercises._**

I hope this chapter holds all of you Erik fans.

Here we go…

**Chapter 26**

Erik passed moodily in the catwalks, watching the ballet rats performing for their next play, _"The Twelfth Night"_. A young woman, whom Erik had never seen before, was teaching the ballet rats their choreography. She was a no taller then five feet tall and she wore a plain pink ballerina outfit. Her brown hair with golden highlights was pulled back in a ponytail that was coming undone. By the looks of it; Erik thought that she was a ballet rat as well except for the fact that her outfit didn't match the ones used in the play. He could tell that she didn't know what she was doing.

_This is all wrong!_ Erik thought, as one of the young blonde ballet rats missed her pirouette. _The young blonde is completely off beat and the instructor doesn't even see it. Even an idiot that has not experience in dance could point out this problem. If Antoinette were here she would catch that with no problem and sort it out. Where is she anyway?_ He wondered, his temper rising.

_She should have told me she was leaving,_ he fumed silently. _Although, this is a great opportunity to take matters into my own hands, as the Opera Ghost,_ Erik mused. His lips curved into a sinister smile as he made his way to box five. He stood behind the crimson curtains in the corner of the box so as not to be seen. Erik drew in a deep breath and threw his voice around to make it impossible to determine the location of his voice.

"You call this a professional ballet class, Madame?" he boomed at the instructor. "If I hadn't known any better, I would've thought this play was being put on for the families that live on the streets; and not for the rich fat cats of Paris," Erik jeered.

The instructor and the ballet rats became fearful as their eyes scanned around the theatre, looking for the person who was taunting the instructor.

Erik laughed menacingly, amused at the looks on their faces. "You think you can find me?" he mused, throwing his voice once again." I am the Opera Ghost!" he exclaimed.

The ballet rats gasped and whispered to each other in fear.

"If you don't leave before the end of this week and bring Madame Giry back to the Opera Popular, you will regret ever stepping foot into my domain," Erik spat at the ballet instructor. "You would be wise to heed my warning." With that said, he turned around and glided away toward his layer without a second glance back.

The ballet instructor could only stand there with her mouth opened wide, in shock as the ballet rats were rooted to the spot, horror struck. 

XXX

Christine stayed with her father for three hours alone with him. The sun was setting in the west and there was a cold breeze seeping through the slightly opened window.

No matter how cold it was for Christine, she stayed on top of the covers with her father.

"Oh Father," Christine sobbed. "I've been a bad girl. I wanted to tell you, but I was too afraid. I didn't want you to be disappointed in me.

"Do you remember that day when you told me to stay in my room for the whole day? Well, I went out to see a friend that I met at the fair. I know that I was disobeying you, but he needed help. You told me that I should help people when they need it. Well, he really needed me. He would've died if I hadn't helped him.

"I also let him stay in the spare room without you knowing. I fed him the whole time that he lived with us. He needed food and shelter. I didn't tell you because I was afraid you would say 'no'," she whispered. "I'm so sorry."

Once again she cuddled up closer to her father's still form and closed her eyes, succumbing to the darkness.

XXX

"Don't you think we should prepare Gustave for the trip to Paris?" Madame Giry asked Bernard. "I don't think we will have another opportunity. I would rather move him while Christine is asleep."

"You are right. The sooner the better," Bernard replied, trying to hold back the tears. He never expected Gustave to die so young. He always imagined them both living to a ripe old age seeing Christine grow up, get married, and have wonderful children. Bernard sighed and went upstairs to do what had to be done.

Madame Giry followed to bring the sleeping Christine downstairs, so that she could pack upstairs.

XXX

It didn't take long for Madame Giry to pack her belonging into her small black suitcase. She went into the next room to pack Christine's things that she would need.

Madame Giry found a small light blue suitcase under the bed already packed. She frowned, _Christine must've packed before the accident_. Just to be certain Christine packed what she needed; Madame Giry opened Christine's closet and found only two dresses and a small black hat. The two dresses that were left was a black dress with white frilly material around the cuffs and the neck; and the other dress was a pale pink silk dress. _I can't believe she left the beautiful pink dress, _Madame Giry thought.

She packed the two dresses and the hat. She scanned the room and found a worn out stuffed bunny. It was soft and floppy. She remembered that her mother had bought it for her, prier to Christine's birth. She packed that as well.

Madame Giry assumed she packed everything Christine needed.

XXX

_(Next morning)_

"It seems like Count de Chagny will be buying this house," Bernard explained to Madame Giry, after reading a letter that he receive from the Chagny family. He isn't giving much, but it's enough. I will put the money into Christine's account, which is when I get her one in Paris."

"As long as we leave today, I will be happy," Madame Giry replied.

XXX

Bernard arrived alone at the Chagny residence and finished the transaction. The Comte de Chagny or Bernard barely spoke a word to each other. The only thing Bernard said to the Comte was that he could keep the remaining items in the house. Bernard didn't want to deal with a fight this morning. He can keep the rest of the items that they can't carry to Paris.

Instead of heading home, Bernard went straight to his home to pack his belongings.

He sent a letter to his realtor and told him to sell his house and send his money to his account. In the letter he also informed the realtor that the furniture was to be sold with the house as well.

With that finished, Bernard headed to Gustave's house with the carriage where the other carriage was waiting for him.

XXX

While Bernard was away, Madame Giry took care of Gustave. She had a man come over to the house to get Gustave ready, for the trip to Paris. The man had also taken care of the coffin. He had done all of this while Madame Giry kept Christine distracted, which wasn't the easiest thing to do. Christine kept wanting to be with her father and she screamed and cried when she was refused.

XXX

When Bernard arrived at the house, he placed Gustave's coffin in the carriage, with the help of the man that had helped out with Gustave before.

Bernard packed the two carriages that they were taking to the docks. When he was finished, he called Madame Giry outside.

Madame Giry was wearing the same black outfit that she wore when she arrived in Sweden. She was holding a sleeping Christine in her arms. Madame Giry and Christine were placed in the one carriage and Bernard sat in the front of the other carriage with Gustave inside.

He nodded to the driver in the other carriage and they both set off for the docks where there boat awaited them. In a few days they would be in Paris.

**_A/N: Thanks for all the reviews last time. I hope I hear from you all again and I hope I hear from a few new people. I'd also like to thank Opera Dove and wildpixiechild for being my beta this chapter._**

**_If I'm satisfied with the number of reviews I receive, I will start out the chapter with Erik watching Madame Giry move in with Christine, into the Opera House.  
_**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Phantom of the Opera only the plot that I'm making up. I also don't own "The Twelfth Night" by William Shakespeare._**

_**PLEASE REVIEW!  
**_

_**-Jess-**_


	27. Chapter 27

_**A/N: Thanks for all the reviews everyone!**_

_**I'm sorry this update isn't as not as quickly done as I expected. It has proven to be difficult starting out with Erik's point of view in this chapter.**_

**_And now, for the story…_**

**Chapter 28**

_(two days after Erik's threat on the ballet instructor)_

Erik was in his den, using his tarot cards once again. No matter how many times he retold his future to himself, the death card repeatedly showed up.

He sighed and placed both hands on his sweating face. He leaned back in his wooden chair and replayed the meaning of the cards in his head. They spoke of changes, pain, and love. When he thought of the word 'love', he chuckled to himself. _Not in a million years will I find that,_ Erik thought bitterly to himself. _But the pain isn't much of a surprise to me._

Erik's thoughts were interrupted by the grandfather clock's chimes. He looked at the clock that was in the corner of the room, near the stairs. The time read eight o'clock in the evening.

He smoothly got to his feetand walked upstairs into his living room. To his left was the spare bedroom and straight ahead was a bookshelf. He picked up the candle next to the bookshelf and watched the massive piece of furniture slide to the side swiftly. Erik moved into the next room as the bookshelf was starting to close behind him. It led to another room full of mirrors that rotated automatically.

The temperature in the room started to increase and immediately, he searched for the loose floorboard and pressed the button that was inside. The heat in the room started to die down slowly. Erik moved his way through the maze of mirrors easily until he stopped in front of the only mirror that was not moving. He flipped a switch on top of the mirror and is slowly slid to the side, just like the bookshelf in the other room had done.

He then stepped into the his bedroom which contained a wooden coffin with black padding inside that adorned the far left of the room; in front of him was a king sized bed with crimson covers and black curtains hanging from the four tall bedposts. To his immediate left was a divan incased in pure red velvet. To the right was an armoire which held all his clothes and a few spare masks and behind him was the ten foot mirror that he had just entered through.

Erik lit two candles, quickly walked to the receptacle that held his clothes, and opened the mahogany doors. He pulled out a long black cape and draped it on his shoulders. Then he grabbed one of his black porcelain masks that covered his forehead to under his cheekbone. **_(A/N: Don Juan Mask .)_** Finally, with the flick of his cape, he left the room silently.

XXX

In no more then an hour Erik was inside of the temporary ballet instructor's empty room. The room was poorly lit, which gave him the opportunity to hide in the shadows.

He waited until he heard voices on the other side of the door.

"Thank you, Miss Nina, for helping me with my pirouette," one of the teen ballet rats whispered.

"You're welcome, Alice," the instructor replied.

Nina closed her door and locked it with a _click_. She walked to her dresser and grabbed a brush.

Erik thought that now would be the perfect time to make his presence known.

It was when Nina was about to sit down on the chair next to her dresser mirror that Erik moved the chair from behind her, without moving from his spot. She toppled onto the floor with a small scream.

Erik smirked as gabbed onto the dresser for support as she stood up. "There are no such things as ghosts," she told herself out loud.

"I'm afraid not," Erik laughed.

"What do you want from me?" she asked him, her body shaking in fright.

"I don't want anything from you; I just want you to leave my Opera House at once." Erik replied with an edge to his voice. "I told you two days ago to leave, and you are still here. Why is that Mademoiselle?"

"I- I have been t-told to stay here until M-Madame Giry comes back," Nina stammered.

"I see." Erik thought for a while and decided that he wanted some answers that have been bothering him for a while. "Where is Madame Giry and when is she to be back? I do hope that she is here to fix what you have ruined in time for opening day," he jeered.

"I-I don't know where she went, but I know that she is coming back in two days," she replied.

"Hmm, I am finished here."

Erik reached into his pocket and pulled out a capsule that was filled with liquid. He broke it open and brought his cape up to his face. Billowing clouds of smoke filled the room.

Nina swayed on her feet, feeling her eyes grow heavy.

Before leaving the room, Erik stopped at the door. Without turning around, "Shakespeare must be rolling in his grave from your horrible work on his wonderful play," he spoke in a muffled voice form his cape.

Nina fell to the floor unconscious, almost instantly after Erik spoke.

Erik opened to door and without a sound; he made his way back to his home, below the cellars of the Opera House.

**_A/N: I would really write more, but I have a little brain fart. I'd rather post this now and have you read it rather then you waiting 4 more days for this. Plus it would probably be my luck that when I do try to post it, Fan Fic will deny it._**

_**The tarot card meaning…**_

**_It doesn't mean that you will die soon. The death card means change. It doesn't mean that it will definitely be a bad change. It could be, but that all depends on the next card that is flipped over_**

_**PLEASE REVIEW!**_


	28. Chapter 28

_**A/N: Hey everyone! Thanks for the reviews. They were great!**_

_**I'm glad I waited to write this later chapter later then normal, because I just came up with a new plot twist. It's not that big, but I think it's great. .**_

_**Sorry for the long wait.**_

_**Just letting you know there is mild cursing in this chapter, hence rating it "T".**_

_**Thoughts and word emphasis' are in italics.**_

**_I now that last chapter was pretty short I'm just really busy what with school and… boys. ._**

**Chapter 28**

_5:00pm_

Erik opened up his ice box and looked inside for something to eat. He found a bottle of red wine that was half done; a small block of cheddar cheese; and a few slices of beef that seemed to rotting. He slammed the ice box shut angry that there was nothing to eat that he was interested in. "I suppose I'll have to go to the market," he grumbled to himself.

Erik took his cape from the coat rack in the living room, next to the front door. He placed it on his shoulders and then reached for his black hat. He placed the hat on his head and tilted it slightly over his mask.

He had just made the back mask a few days ago. It was like his white mask that covered half his face, but instead of the mask being white, it was raven black.

He was about to leave his house when he quickly remembered his lasso. He doubled back and grabbed his Punjab lasso off the coffee table. He surveyed the room one last time and left his house by the lake. He then took a passage way that lead to the stables.

When he arrived at the stables he noticed that there was no one there, which made his trip easier.

He walked silently to Concord, a brown mare that had already been saddled up for a ride. Erik adjusted the stirrups on the saddles to his comfort. He mounted the horse and took off into the night.

XXX

Erik didn't like the idea of going out in public. One of the things that he hated the most was communicating with people. To him every human was the same; arrogant, stupid, dishonest, self-centered ass holes. All humans were, except one; Christine. _His_ Christine.

_She was none of those things_, he pondered, _except for a liar. She didn't come to the Paris Opera House like she promised me, _he thought bitterly.

Erik gritted his teeth to keep himself from yelling out in anger. He dug his heals into the Concord's sides mercilessly as the horse galloped down the cobblestone streets, the sound of Concord's hooves echoing around them like thunder.

XXX

When Erik arrived in town, he dismounted Concord and left her to gaze on the grass.

Erik didn't believe in tying a horse up to a post. He believed that if people don't trust a horse, then the horse, in return, won't trust them.

He strode toward the lifeless food store. In one movement, he picked the lock and was inside the store in not time at all.

Erik produced a black cloth bag from under his cape and started to place the food that he needed inside.

He grabbed a bottle of the most expensive red wine, a bushel of red apples, a vine of red grapes, a fresh loaf of French bread, and a small tub of butter.

He threw a few gold pieces on the counter and walked out into the brisk cold night.

Erik strode over to Concord and started to straighten out the saddle.

"I saw that, boy. You were breaking an entry," a harsh accusing voice which disturbed the silence of the night.

Erik spun around toward the voice. In a blink of an eye, Erik hand his Punjab Lasso around the man's neck. He pulled the man toward him easily and put his lips next to the man's ear and hissed, "Then it would be wise of you to keep that to yourself, other wise I might," Erik paused for a second and gently tugged on the rope, "_slip._"

Erik removed the lasso from the man's neck and reattached it onto his belt buckle. The man coughed and rubbed his neck. He turned to his horse and was about to mount her, when he felt the man's hand on his shoulder turn him around to face him.

Erik quickly grabbed the man by his robes.

"Perhaps my warning wasn't clear the first time…," Erik snapped, but was interrupted by the man.

"I know you from somewhere," the man explained breathlessly. "But where have I seen you?"

"Sir, if you have ever seen me, I am sure you would have no problem remembering who I am. Everyone who has seen me might say I have an _unforgettable _face," Erik growled.

Erik's black hood slipped back, revealing his mask to the stranger. He quickly pulled his hood back into place, but it was too late, the stranger had already seen his face.

"My Allah, you are Madeline's son!" the man exclaimed in amazement.

**_A/N: Did anyone recognize what movie/TV show I got the name of the horse, Concord?_**

_**Didn't expect that one, did you?**_

_**Sorry the chapter was so short, but I've been very busy lately. **_

_**PLEASE REVIEW!**_


	29. Chapter 29

_**Thank you for reviewing. I love to hear from you all.**_

**Here is the last few lines of the last chapter, just In case any of you guys forgot what happened:**

**Erik's black hood slipped back, revealing his mask to the stranger. He quickly pulled his hood back into place, but it was too late, the stranger had already seen his face.**

**"My Allah, you are Madeline's son!" the man exclaimed in amazement. **

**And now back to the story…**

**Chapter 29**

"DON'T YOU EVER UTTER THAT DAMN NAME IN FRONT OF ME AGAIN!" Erik roared with a voice that shook the night.

The Concord reared up on her hind legs in fright. Erik pulled her reigns down and calmed her down by gently stroking her neck.

A few stray dogs from afar started to bark from the commotion, waking up many of the villagers from their peaceful sleep.

Erik saw from the corner of his eye the candles in a few of the windows of the villagers' houses being lit.

Erik grabbed the man by the collar of his robes and dragged him into a dark, abandoned alleyway.

"Who the hell are you?" Erik hissed into the man's ear.

"My name is Nadir Khan," the foreign man said stiffly.

Erik's golden eyes narrowed into two small slits. "I know that name…" Erik's voice trailed away as he went into a deep pensive state. Erik's jaw muscles tightened and his grip tightened on Nadir's robes. "I remember you now. You are the man who reported to Madeline that I was sneaking into the church in the middle of the night, playing the organ," he growled.

"Funny how I caught you sneaking into a store not too long ago," Nadir mumbled quietly, hoping Erik wouldn't hear him.

Nadir was not so lucky for Erik's keen sense of hearing easily picked up what he had said.

"Do you have a death wish, Monsieur Khan?" Erik asked threateningly. Nadir shook his head. "Good," Erik purred, letting go of his robes.

Erik turned on his heal and strode to Concord. In one fluid movement, he lifted himself onto the horse's back and took off into the night.

**XXX**

Erik dismounted his horse and left her with a full bucket of oats and a gallon of water in her other bucket. He gave her a soft rub on her nose and left her to her food.

He walked through his front door and headed toward the kitchen. He placed the bag of food on the table and rummaged through it, only to pull out a slice of bread and the bottle of red wine. He took one of the glasses out of the cabinet and poured the wine into his glass till it reached the rim.

Erik glided with the bread, glass of wine, and the bottle into the living room without spilling a drop of the wine on the Persian rugs. Glass and bread in hand, he sat down in his thrown-like chair haphazardly. His left leg dangled off the left arm of the chair and his right elbow rested on the right arm of the chair.

He polished off the bread in a matter of minutes and then started with the wine. He took a few sips until he heard the loud bells ringing from the trap alarms.

Erik quickly placed the glass on the table next to him and sprung to his feat. He sprinted toward the tunnel that led to the stables, cape whipping behind him. "Damn it!" Erik cursed. "I don't want the murder on my hands again!"

He rushed down the tunnel at a faster pace, hoping that he wasn't too late.

He heard the grinding noise of his trap in motion before he saw it. Looking down quickly he saw as the large wooden spicks, surrounding the walls, closed in upon the man inside the room below. The man in the room below, yelled frantically for help.

Erik quickly flipped the switch. A loud screeching noise was heard down below as the brakes skidded to a halt, so that the wooden spikes were only a foot away from the man's body. The man sighed loudly, in relief.

Erik flipped the switch into revise and the walls slowly grinded back into their original places.

Erik unhooked his Punjab lasso from his belt and lowered to down to the man. Once the man saw the noose in front of him, he took a step back, startled, and then looked up to see nothing but darkness. The darkness had cloaked his rescuer's face, so the man was puzzled of who saved him. Whoever he was the man was determined to thank him.

"Well don't just stare at the rope, grab onto it," Erik commanded impatiently.

Without a second thought, the man grabbed onto the offered rope. With all of his strength, Erik started pulled the full grown man out of the pit. Erik grunted in frustration. He felt sweat dripping down his face and his white dress shirt cling to his hard muscles. In a matter of minutes the man reached the edge of the pit. The man pulled himself to his feat and faced his rescuer.

Erik's brow furrowed as he looked at the man. His teeth started grinding together his anger. _'How dare this man follow me back to my home,'_ he thought infuriately. The man he had rescued from one of his traps was none other then Nadir Khan.

Nadir looked in Erik's direction, but couldn't see his face from the darkness that engulfed them both. Only Erik's inhumanly strong eyesight could see in this darkness.

"Thank you, good sir, for saving my life," Nadir spoke gratefully to Erik. "Do you work in the stables?

There was a long pause until Nadir spoke again, "Did you, by any chance see a masked man walk along these caves? I would really appreciate it if you point me in the right direction." He took out his handkerchief out of his robe pocket and dabbed his dripping forehead. 

"Perhaps I should push you back down into the pit. That is where you belong for following back to my home," Erik hissed.

The Nadir was taken aback. He didn't expect this man, this _boy_ rather, to be the person who saved his life.

Erik turned on his heal and with a swift pace headed back to his house by the lake.

"Wait!" Nadir called. "I don't know my way back. I was turned around quite a few times back there."

"Well, that's not my problem is it?" Erik spat back, without stopping.

"Then I shall follow you till you help me back. I don't feel like falling into the same trap again," Nadir half chuckled.

"I highly doubt you would fall into the same trap, unless you are that dense. If anything you will fall into one of my other traps," Erik called behind his shoulder.

Nadir was trying to keep up with Erik's long, quick strides, as they twisted and turned threw Erik's complex maze. He could barely see Erik's outline of his body in front of him. He mostly relied on his sense of hearing rather then his sense of sight.

"Others? You have other traps set around here?" Nadir asked, short on breath.

"Yes, to keep people like you out of my domain."

Erik pushed threw a hidden entrance. Nadir soon found himself in Erik's kitchen.

Erik turned around and pushed the button that slides the ice box back into place, to cover the hidden entrance to the caves. Erik looked over his shoulder and saw Nadir staring at him. He hated it when people stared at him. The only person he didn't mind was…

"Oh, you're still here," Erik grumbled. "I'm not much for entertaining any guests, so if you'll excuse me." Erik gave Nadir mock bow and left the room. Nadir followed him into the living room where he saw Erik downing a glass of the red wine that he stole only an hour ago.

"I suppose you saving my life makes up for your robbery today," Nadir joked.

"Believe me when I say this," Erik looked at him with a stony expression, "your life meant nothing to me." He took a long sip from his glass. Even when Erik said these words he knew deep down that he couldn't kill this man. The man didn't seem to want to harm him in anyway. The man just seemed curious, a little too curious for Erik's liking.

Erik had started to wonder why he had let Nadir follow him to his lair. Perhaps Erik needed someone to talk to. Someone to keep him company though this lonely point in his life.

Nadir ignored his comment. Instead he looked around the living room and peered outside the window to see a lake. There were rocky walls and ceilings with a big iron gate in the lake.

"Curious little place you've got here," Nadir chuckled. "If I didn't know any better I would've thought you were the Phantom of the Opera that everyone is talking about."

_**A/N: Dun Dun Dun! I again end the chapter with Nadir finding out Erik's identity! Wow! What a shocker! Anyway, I hope you liked this review. I tried to make it long to make up for my lack of reviewing lately. **_

**PLEASE BE GOOD TO ME AND REVIEW!!! 0)**  



	30. Author Note

_**Author note**_

_**I am so busy with mid terms, personal problems, and writing a second story. I don't think I will be updating too soon. I'm really sorry about that. But I will make it up to you all and have an Erik/Christine reunion. So there, you all will get one wish.**_

_**To pass the time you can read my story that I am working on now. It's called "Do's and Don'ts in a Relationship or Relationshit" **_

**_This is a reference book for girls in relationships or planning of having one soon. This will contain my own experience with boys, do's and don'ts, stories of different situations with boys, stories form other people if you write me, I will post all of your stories. None will be neglected unless it has NOTHING to do with relationships or love. Lol. If it has to do with your pet turtle's first swimming pool, I can't accept the story, as much as I love animals. You will get an idea what to write about after you read the story. _**

_**The URL is in my profile. It will be the very first thing on the top. **_


	31. Chapter 30

**_A/N: Thank you all for your reviews! I loved reading each and every one of them. I got a lot of "When's the E/C coming". Don't worry; I won't take this story off of Fan Fic._**

_**We left off with Nadir's fascinating conclusion on Erik being the Phantom of the Opera.**_

_**And for what you have been all waiting for…**_

**Chapter 30**

"Come along, Christine," called Madame Giry.

Christine shuffled behind Madame Giry off the boat and into their waiting carriage.

"The Paris Opera House," Madame Giry ordered the hansom. The carriage jerked forward as it rolled down the cobble-stoned streets of Paris.

Madame Giry eyes rested on Christine. Madame Giry's eye rested on Christine, watching the girl, deep in thought, fiddle with her fingers and draw a shaky breath as she whimpered. Two tears trickled down Christine's puffy cheeks and into her lap.

Feeling Madame Giry's gaze, she looked up at her. "He didn't get to see Paris with me," Christine explained tearfully.

Madame Giry felt a painful lump in her throat. "He is with you, Christine. Even though you can't see him, he is there," she comforted.

The carriage came to a stop in front of the Opera House.

Madame Giry gracefully exited the carriage as the hansom unloaded the luggage.

"Come with me, Christine." Together they walked hand in hand into the Opera House with the driver lagging behind with the luggage.

They had been inside for no more than a minute when a delighted shriek rang out through the marbled lobby. Madame Giry let go of Christine's hand briefly to catch the pink blur that came pelting toward her.

"Mama! You're home!" the blonde girl exclaimed. "Don't ever leave me again!" she scolded playfully.

Madame Giry felt a small smile tug at the corner of her mouth.

"It's good to be home."

The blonde girl looked at Christine. "Hello, my name is Meg. What's your name?" Meg asked with a friendly smile.

Christine looked at Meg and smiled for the first time since the passing of her father. "Christine," she replied bashfully.

"I like your dress, Christine," Meg replied, touching Christine's pale dress.

"Thank you," she replied shyly.

"Mama, can Christine and I play in the theatre?" Meg asked, looking up at her mother.

"Not until I show Christine to her new room and unpack her things," Madame Giry replied sternly.

"Aww, you're no fun." Meg complained.

"MEGAN ALICIA GIRY! You do not speak to me like that!" Madame Giry admonished.

"But it's true," Meg whispered. Her words didn't reach her mother's ears, but Christine heard them and cupped her hand over her mouth to stifle her giggles.

XXX

Meg and Christine quickly helped Madame Giry unpack Christine's luggage so that they could have more time to play.

As soon as they were finished, Meg grabbed Christine's hand and off they ran to the theatre.

"I'm so happy you're sleeping in the next bed! We can stay up late and tell stories. This is going to be so much fun!" Meg explained joyfully.

Christine smiled. She was happy to have a friend. Meg kept her so busy that it almost seemed like her father had never left her.

They started playing hide and seek and as Meg was counting, Christine ran up the steps into the vacant boxes. She paused as she heard Madame Giry talking to someone in hushed tones. Christine creped into the box beside Madame Giry's and sat down on the floor with her knees pulled up to her chest.

"I was away on business," Madame Giry whispered.

"What sort of business?" an accusing voice asked.

"I'm not telling you. Why do you need to know?" Madame Giry shot back.

"I should know where the ballet mistress was while that dense woman was taking your place. The play is going to ruins because you weren't here!" the voice growled.

"I am flattered by your words, but I have no time for this." Madame Giry stormed out of box five and strode down the stairs.

Christine crept out of her hiding place and peered into box five, wondering who Madame Giry was talking to.

There was no one there in the box. Christine looked behind her and down the halls, but there was no one. Christine ran downstairs to find Meg still trying to seek for her.

"There you are!" Meg shouted. Christine ran over to Meg and placed a small finger to her lips.

"Shhh. Not so loud," Christine whispered.

Meg tilted her head to the side. "What's wrong?"

"I can't tell you here." Christine grabbed Meg's hand led her to their dormitories.

"Now can you tell me?" Meg asked impatiently.

"You mother was talking to a man in box five. After she left, I looked inside to see who she was talking to and the box was empty!" Christine explained.

"I think you just met the Opera Ghost," Meg grinned sinisterly.

_**A/N: I know it's been a while since I last updated and I'm sorry. **_

**_A special thanks to my betas: WildPixiChild and The Mouse in the Opera House! _**

_**BTW Happy Valentine's Day!!! Love you all!!! kisses**_

_**PLEASE REVIEW!!!**_


	32. Chapter 31

_**A/N: Holy shit she's alive!!! Yes, I'm still alive and I feel that I should finish this story for you guys. I'm so sorry that I haven't been faithful to this story but so many things came up, I forgot where I wanted to go with this story, and then forgot most of what I wrote in this story. **_

_**Here is an update on what has happened in this story: Christine meets Erik as a child at Erik's traveling fair. She rescues Erik and brings him home where she lives with her father. Christine tells Erik that she is to live in the Paris Opera House at the end of the week. Erik leaves to get a head start and settle into the Opera House. Christine's father grows sick and they stay behind for nearly two years until he dies. Madame Giry (Christine's godmother and Mother's cousin) takes her and her father's body to Paris. But there is a twist with Christine's future… she is to marry Raoul by the time she is 20 if she hasn't found a suitor. And the Chagny's don't like to lose. **_

_**I suggest you read the last chapter just to get an update on where exactly we are. **_

_**I have no beta with me for this chapter so sorry in advance for all of the grammar errors and misspells.**_

**Chapter 31**

The following day Madame Giry woke Christine up at the crack of dawn along with the ballet rats. "Christine, wake up. This is your first day in the Opera House and you are to be taught how to dance along with the other girls," Madame Giry whispered as she placed her hand on Christine's shoulder. As soon as Madame Giry left the room Christine rubbed her eyes with her tiny hands to clear the sleepers from her tired eyes. As she looked up she saw a small pink ballet outfit with white ballet slippers at the foot of her bed.

Christine dressed quickly along with the other chattering girls without a sound. Quietly she made her way down to the dining hall where all the girls talked excitedly about the rumors as to what happened to Mademoiselle Nina and her sudden disappearance.

Christine was about to leave the room when she heard a voice call her name. "Christine, sit here," Meg called from the other side of the table. She shyly made her way to the opposite side of the table and sat down in an empty seat next to Meg.

"You're going to like it here. Mama will teach you how to dance today. Have you ever danced before?" without waiting for an answer from Christine, Meg carried on, "Try these sausages. They are amazing." Meg placed a sausage on Christine's plate.

Christine eyed the sausage and pushed the plate away. "I'm not very hungry," she mumbled. Christine felt too uncomfortable to eat. Her stomach seemed to twist into knots at the smell of the food. She wasn't used to so many strangers sitting at a table. Not one of them being her father. Tears welled up in her eyes.

A shrill laugh came from opposite Christine. A girl with black hair and emerald eyes started at Christine with a mock grin on her pretty face. "What is it" the girl sneered, "food not good enough for you?" Her friends giggled around her. She felt like everyone was staring at her now. She felt her hair standing on end on the back of her neck. She turned around expecting someone to be there, but there was no one there.

Christine slumped low in her chair, her chin rested on her chest, tears filling up her eyes. Meg stood up and took Christine's hand. "Come on, Christine," Meg frowned at the girls.

Meg led Christine over to the stage where some girls where stretching their legs on the metal bar. "Don't mind Giselle. She's always had a ballerina slipper stuck up her-"

"Megan Giry!" Madame Giry screeched. "I do not allow any of that talk on this stage, especially by my own daughter."

"Sorry, Mama," Meg mumbled into her chest. "But Giselle was-,"

"I don't care what Giselle did this time!" Madame Giry's eyes flared. "Start stretching out," her eyes fixed on Meg. Christine shifted her wait to the other leg uncomfortably. Madame Giry's gases shifted from Meg to Christine. Madame Giry stepped over to Christine and moved a stray curl away from her face. Christine smiled weakly as Madame Giry tilted Christine's chin up to look at her.

XXX

"One, two, three, one, two, three, one, two, three, eyes up here girls," Madame Giry commanded. "Christine, keep up and loosen up, you are too stiff."

Christine was out of breath, finding it hard to keep up with the rest of the girls. She looked up at Madame Giry, pleading with her eyes for her to take a break.

Suddenly from up in the rafters came a note that fluttered down onto the stage. Madame Giry instructed all of the girls to stop dancing. She walked over to the note, which had a red skull on the back of the letter. Madame Giry opened up the letter and scanned the page quickly.

"Everyone may take a five minute break," Madame Giry announced. She turned her heal and walked out of sight.

Christine walked off the stage, in the direction of Madame Giry, to the restrooms. She locked the lady's room door behind her and strolled straight to the sink. She turned the faucet and splashed some cool water on her face, breathing heavily. Christine peered up into the reflection of the mirror and looked into the worn out eyes of the stranger in front of her. She looked up at her hair and realized with a start that her black ribbon was missing. Christine's mind froze in panic. _'The ribbon Father gave me is missing. That was the last gift he gave me before he…'_ she didn't want to think about it. _'It must've slipped off while playing hide and go seek with Meg,'_ she told with herself. She quickly dried her face off and ran out into the lobby.

XXX (right after Madame Giry left the girls)

Madame Giry quickly made her way to box five as the note had instructed.

"Antoinette, how lovely to see you once again," a disembodied voice welcomed her sarcastically.

"Erik, I'm not here to play one of your games. What is it you want?" Madame Giry shot back.

Erik folded his arms across his chest and cocked his head to the side to study Madame Giry. She wasn't even facing him, he mused.

"The new brunette ballerina; who is she?" Erik asked already knowing the answer.

"Her name is Christine Daaé. She will be staying in the Opera House from now on"

Erik's heart skipped a beat at the mention of Christine. He quickly found himself again.

"What business does she have in _my_ Opera House?" Erik hissed. "She is terrible. I want her out of here."

"This is not _your_ Opera House," she snapped. "You do not have the power to kick her out. Besides, everyone starts out somewhere. Do you expect everyone to be perfect when they first try something new?"

"I want her OUT!" he yelled through clenched teeth.

"You can't! She is with me. You kick her out, you kick me out," she replied hotly.

"Fine," he snapped. Erik was enraged. He had never been defeated like this. He knew that ballerina instructors like Madame Giry don't come around too often. "You may go," he commanded icily.

XXX

As Christine ran into the theatre, she saw Madame Giry walk down the red steps of box five. Christine waited for her to pass by, and then darted up the stairs into the empty box.

She dropped to her hands and knees to frantically look for the black ribbon.

"What are you doing here, you have no business here!" Erik growled. He threw his voice so that it sounded like he was right next to Christine.

Christine shot up so quick that she bumped her head on the chair with a yelp. She rolled back into a sitting position and rubbed her hands over the sore spot on her head. Her eyes started to water with pain. "I said what are you doing here?" Erik nearly yelled.

"I- I - I-," she started but Erik interrupted.

"You are not allowed in this box," he hissed.

"But I was only looking for my black ribbon," she replied brokenly.

"Leave," he whispered dangerously.

Christine never moved faster in her life. She quickly joined the ballerina's on stage. With a sniff she quickly wiped away the tears on her cheek before anyone could see; only it was too late. Christine looked up to see Giselle giggling with her friends and pointing at her. She quickly scanned the room to see where Madame Giry was, but she was nowhere in sight. Not even Meg was around. She never felt so alone.

"Cry baby, cry baby, cry baby," the girls chanted.

Giselle walked up to Christine. "Are the rumors true?" she said loud enough for all the girls to hear, including the ghost in the rafters. "Are you an _orphan_," she sneered; the girls giggled. Giselle circled around Christine like a bird circles a fresh carcass. You're father must have died of embarrassment of you. You can't dance for shit! You will never make it in the Opera House. You might as well quit while you're ahead."

All Christine could do was take the blows. She knew if she said something, she would loose control over the tears she was trying so hard to keep in. Giselle stopped in front of Christine. Giselle raised her hand quickly as if to hit Christine, but Christine was too fast. Next thing she knew Christine pushed Giselle as hard as she could. She only stumbled back a few steps. She blinked a few times and then started to laugh. All of Giselle's friends joined her.

"You know what you are, Christine? You are a _freak_," Giselle hissed.

Christine couldn't take it anymore. She was so upset all she could hear was a rushing noise in her ear. She couldn't take the abuse anymore. She ran; ran as fast as she could to her bedroom. All dignity diminished; nothing she did would make it any better or worse.

A few seconds later, Christine heard girls screaming behind her, but she kept on running.

_**A/N: Please review. But please don't bash me for not updating in a long time; I already know that you must be mad at me. Trust me, I'm mad at myself.**_

_**Anyway let me know what you think of this chapter. I'm curious at how many people read it. I welcome your questions, comments, and queries.**_

_**If anyone wants to beta for me, just let me know.**_

_**Should I continue with the story?**_


	33. Chapter 32

_**A/N: Thanks for the reviews! I was sooo surprised at the response I got. I suppose I should keep going then =)**_

_**This takes place right after Erik yells at Christine to stay out of box 5.**_

**Chapter 32**

Erik felt terrible for the way he treated Christine. He had just been so angry for the past two years that she had lied to him. How could she do this to him? She promised that she would come to the Opera House nearly two years ago. Well now that she was here, Erik didn't want anything to do with her.

He watched her run down the steps from box five. Although he was disgusted with her betrayal, he couldn't deny he was still fascinated with her. She was unlike any girl he had ever met. He recalled how compassionate she was toward him in his time of need. How she had opened her house to a complete stranger and monster. The thing about her that bothered him most was that she couldn't stand up for herself. He watched as Giselle brought her down during breakfast. A twinge of anger flickered at the corner of Erik's mind but he quickly brushed it aside.

With a swish of his black cape Erik turned to leave box five until he heard the ballet rats chanting.

"Cry baby, cry baby, cry baby."

Erik paused and turned slowly to see the girls laughing and circling Christine. Erik's hands clenched into fists so tight that his fingernails bit into the flesh of his palms; creating tiny half moon cuts. He quickly opened the secret passageways which lead to the rafters.

In no time at all he was standing above Christine and Giselle. His hand automatically drifted into his robes where his Punjab lasso lay attached to his belt.

"Are the rumor's true," Giselle toyed. Erik grew completely still, wondering what she was talking about. "Are you an _orphan_," she sneered. Erik's mouth dropped slightly in shock. The giggling from the girls seemed to echo in his brain.

"How did he die, Deary?" Giselle taunted, "Of a fever, perhaps? Or a fall from a horse? Oh no. He must have died over the embarrassment of having such a _clumsy_, pathetic excuse for a daughter. It takes years of training to be a dancer in the opera house. And you must have _some_ talent to being with…. _No one _wants to watch an elephant, Darling. Best that you leave- before they throw you out." Her face changed to mock-pity. "Don't worry, Darling. You could always sell flowers."

Erik's jaw muscles tightened.

To Erik's surprise Christine flung her arms out at Giselle right before Giselle hit her. Erik felt a smirk appear across his lips.

Giselle and her friends erupted in a fit of laughter. Erik frowned and cocked his head to the side.

"You know what you are, Christine? You are a _freak_," Giselle hissed.

At that moment Erik heard a high pitched ringing in his ears. A wave of raw fury washed over him as his body shook in anger. Countless times he'd heard that word; and oh how he despised it.

Erik wanted to shout in anger; wanted to hit, wanted to _kill_. His eyes fell on the large sandbag in front of him. He looked down and saw Christine was gone. He swiftly grabbed his knife from his belt and began to saw at the rope holding the fifty pound bag of sand. In a matter of seconds the rope snapped and the sandbag plummeted toward Giselle. The bag met its mark, hitting Giselle on her right shoulder.

All the girls screamed and looked up to see what had caused the sandbag to fall. However before they could look up, Erik was gone.

XXX

Erik made his way to Christine's dormitory. He slipped through her door without her even noticing and silently walked to the corner of the room.

"Oh, Papa," Christine wailed. She was sprawled out on her bed, her face buried deep in her arms and pillow. "Why aren't you here? You promised you'd be here. You pro-," her throat tightened up. Her body shook from her cries of torment.

Erik could only watch. He didn't know how to comfort her.

"Where is the Angel of Music you had talked about? If you can't be with me spiritually, then, please, _please_ send me someone to let me know you are okay. Please send the Angel of Music," she pleaded.

Erik felt a grin appear on his face. He could not have asked for a better invitation. He began to hum a deep haunting tune. He threw his voice so that it sounded as if he were right next to Christine; his voice growing louder by the second.

Christine grew still. Her cries stopped as she lifted her head from her pillow. Her face was tearstained and beat red. Her eyes glistened like a China Doll.

"Angel?" she sniffed.

Erik's song faded out as his keen sense of hearing picked up faint footsteps outside the door.

"No, please don't go," Christine begged desperately.

"Christine? Are you here?" Meg knocked.

"Chri-stine," Erik sang.

Meg peeked inside the door. "Oh, Christine, thank god you are alright! I heard the screaming and ran to the stage. I thought you were hurt." Meg ran to Christine's bed.

"Ooooh, Giselle was badly hurt!" Meg exclaimed.

Erik couldn't help the proud smile that spread across his face.

"She was hit by a sandbag. It's said that the Opera Ghost dropped it on top of her. She-," at that moment, Meg realized that Christine had been crying.

"What happened?" Meg sat on Christine's bed.

Christine closed her eyes tight and shook her head; her chocolate curls swayed from side to side.

Christine paused, trying to understand what Meg was telling her about Giselle. "You first, when did this happen to Giselle?"

"Oh, alright, but you have to tell me why you were crying," Meg bargained.

"If you insist," Christine smiled slightly.

Meg looked up, thinking back to what had just happened on the stage. "The girls said that you threw a sort of fit, and ran off stage. Right after that a sandbag fell from the rafters. Mama says that the rope was cut, so all of the girls think that the Opera Ghost did it. Some girls say that he was trying to hit you," Meg paused, a shocked look on her face. "Oh, Christine, you must be careful! "The Opera Ghost could've been aiming for you!" she exclaimed.

Erik folded his arms and started to grind his teeth. _'I was trying to sort that bitch, Giselle, out,' _Erik silently retorted.

Christine's eye's widened. "Do you think so?"

"You'd better be safe then sorry," Meg warned, then laughed. "Although Giselle does deserve that sort of punishment the way that she treats people," Meg laughed.

"Oh, you mustn't say such things!" Christine warned.

"Well, I think she deserves everything she gets. I suppose what goes around comes around. Giselle is a fine example of that phrase," Meg giggled.

Christine covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.

"Now, you _must_ tell me what happened to you." Meg took her hand. "Why were you crying?"

"Someone screamed at me to leave box five and I started to cry because he sounded angry. When I went to the stage everyone was laughing at me and making fun of me," Christine frowned. "Then Giselle was talking about how my father is-," Christine couldn't say it. Christine swallowed the lump in her throat and continued. "I pushed her because she looked like she was going to hit me. She called me a freak. That's when I ran," Christine explained.

"And that's when the sandbag fell on Giselle," Meg said slowly. Her face softened out as if she were in a daydream. "Christine! What if the Opera Ghost wasn't trying to hit _you_? What if hit his target after all?" Meg exclaimed excitedly. "_Someone_ is looking after you, Christine," she teased.

Christine nudged Meg and giggled.

Christine thought about the possibility that her father had sent her and angel after all. She was so excited that her prayers where answered.

XXX

Madame Giry sighed as she sat down in her office, for what it seemed like the first time all day.

There was a sudden knock on her door.

"What now?" she grumbled to herself. "Come in, the door is open."

"Good evening, Madame Giry. How are you today?" Adrian de Chagny greeted, as he stepped in with his son Raoul by his side.

"What are you doing here?" Madame Giry spat.

"Is that the way you greet your new patron?" Adrian chuckled.

_**A/N: I just wanted everyone to know about the Phantom's sequel. I'm sure everyone by now knows about it here, but for those who don't know BIG NEWS!!! **_

_**I can't copy and paste the news report, but I will let you know of the highlights of the story… it will take place in Brooklyn's Coney Island (a place where freaks are drawn to) The Phantom will reunite with Christine. The cast has not been announced. Andrew Lloyd Webber will be keeping that a surprise. The sequel will be preformed ONLY in London, New York, and Shanghai. Expect it in a few more months. =)**_

_**Disclaimer: This information is not owned by me. -_-**_

_**Please review and tell me what you think. I'm a little hesitant on where this is going to go, so if you send me reviews saying where you want this to go, this will give me some ideas for the story. ^.^**_

_**Questions, comments, queries. =) **_


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